CAPTAIN    SHAYS. 


"My  name  is  Shays, 
In  former  days 
In  Pelham  I  did  dwell,  sir ; 
I  was  obliged  to  quit  that  place 
Because  I  did  rebel,  sir." 


CAPTAIN 
SHAYS 

APOPVLIST-OF-1786 


BY  •  GEORGE -R-R-  RIVEiRS 

AVTHOR. 


•THE-GCVERNORS  GARDEN- 


BOSTON  •  LITTLE  BROWN-AND-CO 
M-O-CCC-XCVII 


Copyright,  1897, 
BY  GEORGE  R.  R,  RIVERS. 


JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE,  U.S.A. 


TO   THE   PRESENT   OWNERS   OF   THE   OLD   FARM   IN 

PETERSHAM,  WHERE  MANY  OF  THE  SCENES 

OF   THIS   STORY   ARE   ENACTED, 

31  IBeUicate  tfjts  ILittlc  23ooJt. 


M47041 


PREFACE. 


THERE  is  nothing  new  under  the  sun.  Dur 
ing  the  past  few  years  our  country  has  been  in 
the  throes  of  an  agrarian  and  financial  agita 
tion  ;  and  there  are  many  among  us  who  think 
that  this  condition  of  affairs  is  something  new, 
that  we  have  a  new  problem  to  solve.  This 
is  far  from  being  the  case.  We  have  but  to 
turn  to  the  pages  of  the  histories  of  the  United 
States  dealing  with  the  period  directly  suc 
ceeding  the  Revolution  to  learn  that  the  first 
troubles  that  confronted  government  were 
much  the  same  as  those  that  confront  it 
now.  From  the  close  of  the  Revolution 
until  1787-88  the  agricultural  classes,  espe 
cially  in  New  England,  were  in  very  much  the 
same  frame  of  mind  as  that  in  which  we  find 
the  farmers  of  the  Western  States  to-day. 
Their  farms  were  heavily  mortgaged ;  they 


VI 


Preface. 


were  deeply  in  debt ;  and  they  had  the  same 
real  and  imaginary  grievances  that  we  hear 
about  now.  Whether  there  was  any  cause  for 
this  discontent  it  is  not  necessary  to  decide ; 
but  that  it  existed  in  1786,  and  has  again 
appeared  in  1896,  there  is  not  the  slightest 
doubt.  In  each  case  the  results  have  been 
much  the  same.  The  aggrieved  have  arrayed 
themselves  against  the  aggressors,  and,  led  by 
demagogues,  who  set  the  masses  against  the 
classes,  have  lost  sight  of  the  real  evil  and  the 
true  remedy  in  their  desire  to  punish  those 
whom  they  blame  for  all  their  misfortunes. 

It  cannot  be  denied  that  in  1786  there  was 
much  distress  among  the  farmers  of  Massa 
chusetts  and  other  New  England  States,  and 
that  in  a  large  degree  they  were  justified  in 
their  feelings  toward  government  and  the  rich 
merchants  of  Boston  and  Salem.  But  it  must 
be  said  in  fairness  to  the  latter  that  they  did 
all  in  their  power  to  make  matters  easier ;  and 
had  it  not  been  for  the  evil  and  selfish  leader 
ship  of  Daniel  Shays  and  his  lieutenants,  much 
suffering  might  have  been  prevented.  So  to- 


Preface.  vii 

day  no  one  will  assert  that  there  is  no  cause 
for  the  complaints  of  the  farmers  of  the  West 
ern  States,  and  we  cannot  blame  them  if  they 
feel  that  their  trials  are  due  in  a  measure  to 
the  inactiveness  of  government  and  those  men 
whom  they  consider  the  plutocrats  of  the  sea 
board  towns ;  but  now,  as  one  hundred  and 
ten  years  ago,  they  exaggerate  their  griev 
ances,  and  seek  the  wrong  remedy.  The 
spirit  of  Daniel  Shays  still  lives  in  the  hearts 
of  some  of  those  leaders  who  are  showing  the 
farmers  the  wrong  path,  and  who  have  noth 
ing  in  view  but  their  own  selfish  ends. 

The  case  of  1786  is  so  similar  to  that  of 
1896  that  this  little  story  of  Shays'  Rebellion 
may  be  of  interest  to  some  of  its  readers. 
I  have  endeavored  throughout  to  maintain 
historical  accuracy ;  and  this  may  make  the 
book  of  some  value,  even  though  the  nar 
rative  be  dull. 

GEORGE  R.  R.  RIVERS. 

MILTON,  March  13,  1897. 


CAPTAIN    SHAYS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

DEACON  BROWN,  the  blacksmith,  was  stand 
ing  by  the  forge  holding  a  horseshoe  between 
the  pincers  in  his  left  hand,  while  with  his  right 
he  raised  the  hammer,  but  paused  before  he 
struck,  and  looked  over  his  shoulder  toward  the 
youth  who  was  blowing  the  bellows  in  a  heedless, 
careless  manner.  The  young  man  did  not  notice 
him,  but  stood  peering  out  of  the  little  window 
toward  the  long  row  of  maples  that  lined  the 
narrow  roadway  leading  to  the  house,  a  few  hun 
dred  rods  distant  beyond  the  pasture. 

"  What 's  ailing  ye  to-day,  Jimmy  ?  "  said  the 
blacksmith,  still  holding  the  hammer  aloft.  "  Ye 
don't  give  us  enough  wind  to  blow  the  dust  off  of 
a  fly's  back,  and  ye  're  standing  there  star-gazing 
with  your  mouth  wide  open.  Put  some  life  into 
it,  boy,  or  I  sha'n't  get  this  mare  shod  in  a  week, 

9 


Captain  Shays. 

and  that  pretty  gentleman  will  be  back  after  her 
in  a  half  hour.  What  are  ye  thinking  about, 
anyway  ?  " 

"Nothing  in  particular,"   answered  the  young 

man;,  roais/ng  himself  suddenly,  and  beginning  to 

1  pump '  vi'gtif ously  at  the  bellows. 

'  -k '  *?  That 's -what  I  should  say,  '  nothing  in  particu- 

1  lar.1' '  Just  walce  up  and  think  of  what  ye  're  doing, 

for  I  'm  going  to  charge  a  shilling  extra  for  a  duty 

on  them  silver  buckles  he 's  wearing.     They  can't 

keep  on  bleeding  us  and  we  get  nothing  in  return, 

—  no  money,  no  victuals,  no  nothing;  only  work 

at  the  forge  and  on  the  farm  all  day  through  the 

year  for  the  sake  of  seeing  these  city  dandies  in 

their  velvet  breeches  and  silver  buckles.     That 's 

better.     Ye  're  putting  a  little  more  muscle  into  it 

now." 

The  bare  sinewy  arm  brought  down  the  ham 
mer,  and  then  neither  spoke  again  for  some  mo 
ments.  When  the  shoe  was  finished,  Deacon 
Brown  threw  it  into  the  bucket  of  water  by  his 
side,  and  going  to  the  open  door  looked  out 
across  the  road  and  fields  toward  the  hills  be 
yond  the  tannery. 

Deacon  Isaac  Brown  was  of  old  New  England 
stock,  and  his  grandfather  had  settled  in  Nichewaug 
long  before  Petersham  had  become  a  town,  and 
10 


Captain  Shays. 

when  remnants  of  the  old  native  tribe  still  roamed 
about  the  hills  and  through  the  valleys. 

Deacon  Isaac  himself  was  born  in  Nichewaug, 
and  was  now  fifty-two  years  old.  He  was  a  large, 
muscular  man,  with  red  hair  and  bristling  beard 
streaked  with  gray,  and  red-brown  eyes  shadowed 
by  grisly  brows,  between  which  were  deep  furrows. 
His  face  was  hard,  but  it  was  honest.  He  wiped 
the  sweat  from  it  with  his  bare  arm,  passed  his 
fingers  through  his  beard  and  hair,  drew  a  long 
breath,  and  then  turned  back  into  the  shop,  and 
going  to  the  mare's  head,  tightened  the  hitch-rope, 
and  called  his  son. 

"  Get  her  off  hind  foot  betwixt  your  legs,  Jimmy, 
and  mind  she  don't  kick  ye,  for  by  the  looks  of 
her  eye  she's  an  ugly  brute.  There." 

Jimmy  got  under  the  mare's  belly  and  soon  held 
her  foot  securely.  When  the  shoe  was  set,  the 
blacksmith  threw  down  his  hammer  and  went  to 
the  door  again. 

"  Jest  in  time,"  he  said,  looking  back  at  his  son. 
"  He  's  coming  down  the  hill,  and  I  guess  he  's 
been  to  the  tavern." 

"  No,  he  ain't,"  answered  his  son,  coming  up  to 
the  door.  "  I  saw  him  talking  to  Ruth  up  by  the 
barn.  That 's  what  I  was  looking  at  when  you 
called  me." 

ii 


Captain  Shays. 

"The  devil  he  was,  the  impudent  coxcomb," 
said  the  blacksmith,  the  furrow  between  his  brows 
deepening.  "  I  guess  I  '11  choose  the  company 
my  daughter  keeps.  What  is  he,  anyway,  d'ye 
think  ?  He  looks  to  me  like  one  of  them 
Britishers." 

"And  to  me,  too,  father.  He's  almost  here 
now,  so  we  'd  better  not  be  staring  at  him." 

The  man  walked  briskly  up  to  the  door  of  the 
shop,  tapping  his  boot  with  his  riding-whip  as  an 
accompaniment  to  a  song  he  was  humming.  He 
was  perhaps  twenty-five  years  old,  with  black  hair 
and  eyes,  and  a  handsome  face  with  a  pleasant 
smile.  He  wore  a  brown  velvet  coat  and  breeches, 
fastened  at  the  knees  with  silver  buckles;  high 
boots,  and  a  sugar  loaf  beaver  hat.  He  bowed  and 
raised  his  whip  to  his  hat  as  he  entered  the  smithy. 

"  Ah !  she  's  ready,"  lie  said  as  he  went  up  to 
the  mare  and  patted  her  on  the  neck.  "  I  'm 
obliged  to  you,  sir,  for  being  so  prompt.  How 
much  do  I  owe  you  ?  Is  that  all  ?  I  must  hurry 
on,  for  I  've  already  lost  an  hour,  and  I  must  get 
to  Worcester  to-night." 

"  You  Ve  a  long  ride,  sir,"  said  Brown,  "  but  I 
guess  she  '11  carry  ye  there  all  right.  May  I  ask 
where  ye  came  from  ?  " 

"  From  Springfield.  There  are  great  times  in 
12 


Captain  Shays. 

Springfield  now.  The  troops  are  gathered  there, 
and  they  expect  trouble.  Good-day,  sir.  I  '11  be 
passing  by  this  way  again  before  long,  and  I  '11  call 
on  you."  He  vaulted  into  the  saddle,  and  was 
soon  disappearing  round  the  corner  of  the  hill 
towards  Barre. 

"  He  is  n't  so  bad  after  all,"  said  Brown  to  his 
son,  as  he  watched  the  stranger  passing  over  the 
ledge  under  the  elms.  "I  don't  believe  there's 
much  to  him  one  way  or  another.  Some  college- 
bred  boy  who  don't  know  no  better.  Put  the 
tools  together,  Jimmy,  and  come  home  to  dinner. 
The  horn's  blowing." 

Instead  of  going  round  the  steep  curve  and  up 
the  lane,  the  two  men  strolled  leisurely  over  the 
rolling  field  until  they  reached  the  stone  wall, 
which  they  climbed  at  a  point  just  opposite  the 
house.  It  was  a  plain  two-story  New  England 
house  with  a  long  shed  in  its  rear,  used  as  a  barn 
and  dairy,  although  there  was  a  larger  barn  across 
the  road  in  the  field.  The  blacksmith  and  his 
son  passed  through  the  shed  into  the  kitchen,  and 
were  met  by  Ruth,  a  bright,  pretty  girl  of  eigh 
teen,  with  auburn  hair,  and  a  fair,  rosy  complex 
ion.  The  two  men  washed  at  the  sink,  and  then 
sat  down  to  dinner. 

"Ruth,"  said  her  father,  "so  ye've  had  a 
13 


Captain  Shays. 

pleasant  talk  with  our  young  friend  whose  mare 
cast  a  shoe.  I  hope  he  was  civil.  I  don't  like 
to  have  every  young  popinjay  who  goes  by  here 
make  too  free  with  ye.  But  I  guess  he's  harm 
less.  What  did  he  say?" 

"  Not  much,  father,"  said  Ruth,  with  a  laugh. 
"  He  took  off  his  hat  and  said  it  was  a  fine  day 
and  asked  me  if  I  liked  cows.  I  told  him  I  did, 
and  then  he  wanted  to  know  if  I  could  tell  him 
who  the  blacksmith  was.  I  did  n't  find  that  very 
hard  to  answer,  and  so  he  said  good-day  and 
lifted  his  hat  again.  He  was  a  very  good-looking 
young  man,  though,  but  I  guess  I  can  get  along 
without  him,"  and  she  laughed  again. 

"  Well,  there  's  one  good  thing  about  him,  any 
way,"  said  Brown,  putting  his  hand  in  his  pocket 
and  drawing  out  three  silver  shillings.  "  He  give 
me  these,  and  I  '11  wager  my  last  cow  there  ain't 
the  match  of  'em  in  Petersham.  Them  's  British, 
Ruth,  but  they  're  worth  more  than  a  peck  of 
potatoes,  and  that 's  what  Joe  Reed  pays  me  in. 
It 's  all  very  well  for  the  like  of  this  stripling  to 
have  all  the  silver  he  wants;  buckles  and  money 
too,  but  how  about  we  poor  folks  who  do  the 
work?  There's  got  to  be  a  change,  and  there 
are  signs  of  it  already.  If  one  revolution  ain't 
enough,  why,  then  we  '11  have  another." 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Don't  ye  think  things  will  take  care  of  them 
selves,  father,  if  we  only  give  'em  time  ?  "  said  his 
son.  "  I  can  remember  when  you  came  home 
from  the  war,  and  I  don't  want  to  see  any  more 
of  it.  Seems  to  me  that  fighting  would  be  worse 
than  what  we  're  going  through  now." 

"  It 's  pretty  bad,  that 's  a  fact,"  answered  the 
blacksmith,  raising  his  hand  and  passing  his  fingers 
over  the  scar  on  the  back  of  his  head.  "  But  we 
must  have  money,  and  work,  and  a  chance  to 
live.  Look  at  this  young  fellow  who  was  here 
to-day  !  He  has  plenty.  Where  does  he  get  it  ? 
What  right  has  he  to  it  any  more  'n  we  have  ? 
God  did  n't  put  one  man  into  the  world  to  have 
everything,  and  another  one  to  starve.  I  tell  ye, 
Jimmy,  there  's  something  wrong  somewhere,  and 
I  guess  I  know  where  it  is." 

"  What  is  it,  father  ?  "  asked  Ruth,  putting  on  the 
pancake  which  she  had  just  prepared. 

"It's  this.  Some  twenty  years  ago  this  great 
country  was  being  trodden  under  foot  by  the 
British,  and  finally  got  sick  of  it,  and  threw  'em 
overboard.  All  of  us  j'ined  in  and  did  our  part. 
We  fought  for  our  country,  and  would  do  it  again  ; 
but  what  has  happened  now  ?  Instead  of  giving 
us  poor  folks  an  equal  chance,  they  put  everything 
into  the  hands  of  the  lawyers  and  the  courts,  and 
'5 


Captain  Shays. 

those  blood-sucking  merchants  in  Boston.  I  tell 
ye  both,  the  time  's  coming  when  the  New  Eng 
land  country  folks  will  have  something  to  say. 
They're  having  meetings  now,  and  I  guess  they 
mean  to  improve  things  a  little.  But  all  the  same 
I  Ve  got  that  tire  to  put  on  Bill  Sear's  chaise,  so 
we  '11  be  going  down  to  the  shop,  Jimmy.  If  any 
more  of  them  dandies  come  along  this  way,  Ruth, 
send  'em  down  to  me.  I  '11  make  love  to  'em  for  ye." 
He  picked  up  his  hat,  and  with  a  laugh  walked 
back  to  the  forge,  followed  by  Jimmy.  Ruth 
watched  them  a  moment,  then  went  back  into 
the  kitchen,  washed  the  dishes,  and  cleared  up 
the  room.  After  she  had  finished  her  work  she 
walked  through  the  front  hall  out  onto  the  stoop, 
which  was  covered  by  a  trellis,  over  which  grew 
red  honeysuckle,  and  thence  down  the  stone  steps 
into  the  garden.  It  was  late  in  August,  and  there 
were  but  few  of  the  most  brilliant  flowers  in 
bloom ;  but  Ruth  gathered  such  as  she  could  find, 
and  took  them  back  to  the  house.  Before  she 
went  in,  however,  she  strolled  across  the  lane  to 
the  stone  wall  leading  to  the  rear  of  the  barn,  and 
stood  a  moment  looking  over  the  valley  toward 
the  hill,  beyond  which,  about  two  miles  distant, 
rose  the  white  steeple  of  the  village  church.  Then 
she  ran  in  through  the  shed  and  kitchen  to  the 
16 


Captain  Shays. 

little  front  parlor  and  put  her  flowers  in  the  china 
vase  on  the  mantel.  It  was  a  Saturday  afternoon, 
and  she  felt  sure  that  some  one  would  call  that 
evening  after  the  day's  work  was  over.  She 
stood  a  moment  before  the  mirror  in  the  gilt 
frame,  and  looked  first  at  the  picture  of  the  ships 
painted  at  its  top,  then  at  the  picture  of  herself 
reflected  in  the  glass  below.  She  laughed,  and 
ran  back  to  the  mantel  and  chose  a  marigold  from 
the  nosegay,  and  returning  to  the  mirror  put  the 
flower  in  her  hair.  Then  she  went  to  the  side 
door  and  looked  up  and  down  the  lane,  and  finally 
with  a  skip  and  a  jump  she  passed  through  the 
hall  and  up  the  stairs  to  her  room. 

It  was  five  o'clock  when  Deacon  Brown  and 
Jimmy  returned  for  their  supper,  and  found  Ruth 
in  her  best  frock  frying  pancakes.  The  black 
smith  stopped  short  and  laughed. 

"  Them  girls,"  he  said,  examining  his  daughter 
with  evident  pride.  "  That 's  jest  the  way  your 
mother  used  to  do  when  I  was  courting  her. 
Did  n't  think  of  anything  but  fixing  herself  up, 
and  setting  in  the  parlor  Saturday  nights.  But  it 's 
all  right,"  he  went  on,  noticing  the  little  motion 
of  annoyance,  and  the  blush  on  Ruth's  cheek. 
"  Abe  's  a  good  boy,  Ruth,  and  if  he  ever  gets 
round  to  asking  ye  —  " 

2  I7 


Captain  Shays. 

Ruth  ran  to  him  and  put  her  hand  over  his 
mouth. 

"Now  you  keep  quiet,  father,  and  don't  tease 
me  any  more  about  Abe.  You  know  as  well  as  I 
do  that  he  only  comes  here  because  it's  the  nearest 
house,  and  we  have  always  been  together.  He 
is  n't  any  more  to  me  than  lots  of  others." 

"  Ain't  he  though  !  "  said  her  father,  looking  at 
her  with  feigned  surprise.  "  Well,  I  never.  The 
belle  of  Petersham,  Jimmy  !  Well,  if  he  ain't  much 
to  you,  ye  are  seemingly  something  to  him,  for  he 
don't  go  nowheres  else  of  a  Saturday  night.  Per 
haps  he  ain't  very  strong,  and  can't  walk  far,"  and 
he  began  to  laugh.  Then  he  went  on  :  "  Sit  down, 
girl,  and  eat  your  supper.  I  'm  only  chaffing  ye. 
Jimmy,  go  out  and  milk,  and  leave  Ruth  alone." 

"  I  ain't  said  nothing  to  her,  father,"  said  Jimmy, 
rising  and  going  toward  the  door. 

"  I  know  ye  ain't,  but  ye  looked  as  if  ye  were 
going  to,  and  I  don't  want  the  girl  bothered." 

With  this  consistent  remark,  Deacon  Brown  got 
up,  and  went  into  the  shed.  After  he  was  gone, 
Ruth  looked  out  of  the  window  through  the  orchard 
to  the  grove.  Then  she  washed  her  dishes  again, 
and  when  all  was  done,  ran  out  to  the  stone 
wall  and  stood  gazing  down  the  lane  between  the 
maples. 

18 


Captain  Shays. 

"  He  said  he  was  coming  back  this  way,"  she 
said  to  herself,  "but  perhaps  he  didn't  mean 
to-day.  I  suppose  I  '11  have  to  go  and  sit  up  for 
Abe.  Poor  Abe,  he  's  a  nice  boy,  but  he  is  n't  any 
thing  special  to  me.  There  's  Tom  Hall  and  Sam 
Barnes.  They  'd  come  just  as  often  if  they  lived 
as  near.  Father  seems  to  have  set  his  heart  on 
Abe,  though,  but  I  don't  want  him." 


CHAPTER   II. 

THE  young  man  who  had  had  his  mare  shod  by 
Deacon  Brown  rode  along  over  the  Barre  road 
humming,  singing,  and  whistling.  As  he  reached 
the  level  stretch  through  the  pines,  he  broke  out 
into  a  song  which  he  had  been  trying  to  catch  for 
some  time. 

"  Now  I  Ve  got  it,"  he  said,  throwing  back  his 
head,  and  opening  his  mouth :  — 

" '  The  dairy-maid  was  shy,  she  said, 
And  did  n't  want  to  kiss  me, 
But  when  I  'm  gone,  she  '11  be  forlorn, 
And  I  am  sure  she  '11  miss  me.' 

"  That 's  it,"  he  mused.  "  I  remember  we  used 
to  sing  it  at  college,  and  that  red-headed  girl  made 
me  think  of  it.  She  was  mighty  pretty,  though,  and 
I  don't  like  to  think  of  that  shaggy-bearded  old 
pirate  being  her  father,  but  I  suppose  she  can't 
help  that,"  and  he  burst  out  into  a  loud  laugh  that 
rang  through  the  trees. 

"  I  believe  the  old  monster  thought  I  was  mak- 
20 


Captain  Shays. 

Ing  love  to  her.  Well,  I  don't  know  that  I  'd  be 
to  blame  much  if  I  did,  but  I  did  n't."  He  rode 
on  quietly  for  a  while,  and  then  said  half  aloud : 

"  Get  up,  Molly,  we  Ve  got  to  be  in  Boston  by 
to-morrow  night,  for  there  's  work  for  me  to  do. 
We  couldn't  get  a  hearing  in  Springfield,  and  I 
don't  believe  we  can  in  Worcester  either.  Dan 
Shays  seems  to  be  getting  the  best  of  things  out 
west.  How  the  farmers  are  grumbling!  I  don't 
blame  'em  much,  and  they  're  having  a  hard  time 
of  it.  But  they  seem  to  think  that  we're  the 
cause  of  all  the  trouble.  Well,  what's  the  use 
in  worrying  ?  I  'm  enjoying  my  ride,  and  here  's 
Barre." 

As  he  rode  up  to  the  inn  where  he  had  decided 
to  rest  and  dine,  he  noticed  that  the  triangular 
village  green  was  crowded  with  people.  A  man 
was  standing  on  a  barrel  in  their  midst,  his  coat 
and  hat  lying  beside  him,  haranguing  them  violently. 
The  young  man  threw  the  bridle  to  a  hostler,  and 
walked  out  to  the  edge  of  the  crowd  to  hear  what 
the  man  was  saying.  He  caught  the  following, 
which  caused  a  murmur  of  approval. 

"  Fellow-countrymen,  we  Ve  got  rid  of  the  French 
and  British,  but  we  ain't  got  rid  of  the  lawyers  and 
judges.  Shall  we  be  robbed  by  them  ?  Shall  we 
be  skinned  by  the  rich  folks  in  Boston  and  Salem  ? 

21 


Captain  Shays. 

Shall  we  allow  them  leeches  to  suck  our  life's 
blood  from  us,  and  never  say  a  word  ?  Never ! 
That 's  what  I  say,  never !  Dan  Shays,  God  bless 
him,  is  in  Springfield  with  six  hundred  men,  and 
he  '11  fight  for  our  rights,  and  break  up  that  mur 
dering  court  that 's  setting  there.  Jine  me,  friends. 
Form  a  company  to  help  Daniel !  " 

*'  Pay  me  for  them  apples,  Jim,  and  I  '11  jine 
ye,"  said  a  voice  from  the  crowd. 

"Who's  that  speaking?  You,  Si  Fletcher? 
Take  him  out  of  this  meeting.  Do  ye  think,  Silas, 
that  ye  can  change  the  feelings  of  these  here  people 
by  such  talk?  It's  the  fellows  like  you  that  is 
making  all  the  trouble.  Listen  a  minute.  How 
can  we  pay  without  money,  and  how  can  we  get 
money  unless  the  government  gives  us  some? 
Ye've  got  a  mortgage  on  your  farm,  ain't  ye, 
Silas  ?  When  ye  've  paid  that,  I  '11  pay  for  them 
apples." 

There  was  a  shout  of  laughter  from  the  crowd, 
and  Fletcher  retired  without  answering.  William 
Perry  (for  that  was  the  young  man's  name), 
watched  the  proceedings  with  much  interest.  The 
man  on  the  barrel  continued  his  oration,  when 
suddenly  he  stopped  and  pointed  straight  at 
Perry. 

"  Look  at  his  finery  !  Velvet  and  silver  1  That 's 
22 


Captain  Shays. 

the  kind  of  stuff  they  send  us,  don't  they  ?     What 
are  ye  doing  here  ?  " 

"  I  'm  listening  to  you,  if  you  want  to  know," 
said  William.  "  I  presume  you  're  speaking  for 
the  benefit  of  the  people." 

"  Do  ye  call  yeself  one  of  the  people  ?  Well ! 
Well !  I  never.  The  people  don't  wear  that  kind 
of  clothes." 

"  Well,  I  do  if  I  want  to,"  answered  Perry,  fear 
lessly,  "  and  it  '11  take  a  bigger  man  than  you  are 
to  take  'em  off  of  me.  Just  jump  down  off  that 
barrel,  you  big  wind-bag,  and  try  it  yourself." 

"  Keep  quiet,  Jim,  and  leave  the  young  man 
alone,"  called  some  one  from  the  crowd.  "He 
ain't  doin'  no  harm.  Perhaps  he  *s  friendly  to  us, 
and  if  he  is  ye  're  only  changing  him  about. 
Where  do  ye  come  from,  young  man  ? " 

"  I  've  just  come  from  Springfield,  and  I  'm 
going  to  Worcester.  Anything  else  you  want  to 
know  ?  No  ?  Then  I  '11  go  in  and  get  my  dinner, 
and  if  that  old  pair  of  bellows  is  out  of  wind  when 
I  'm  done,  I  'm  at  his  service  ;  if  not,  I  '11  move  on 
toward  Princeton." 

He  touched  his  hat  with  his  whip,  and  pushing 
his    way  off    the  green,  went  into  the  inn  and 
ordered  dinner.     This  finished,  he  mounted  his 
mare  and  descended  toward  Princeton. 
23 


Captain  Shays. 

"  A  nice  pack  of  ruffians,  to  be  sure,"  he 
thought  as  he  rode  along.  "  Calling  on  Dan 
Shays  as  if  he  was  the  Saviour.  What 's  he  but 
a  gaolbird,  anyway  ?  Holloa  !  who  's  this  coming 
up  the  road  ?  "  He  pulled  rein,  and  sat  staring  at 
a  group  of  about  a  dozen  horsemen  galloping 
toward  him. 

"  I  '11  get  one  side,  or  they  '11  run  me  down,"  he 
thought,  suiting  the  action  to  the  word.  Just  then 
they  rode  by  him.  "  That 's  Daniel  Shays."  He 
turned  in  his  saddle  and  looked  after  the  men. 
"  Ha  !  Ha  !  They  're  stopping." 

He  was  right.  The  leader  had  caught  sight  of 
the  young  man  as  he  passed  him,  and  had  imme 
diately  given  the  order  to  halt.  Then  the  men 
wheeled  about  and  came  up  to  him,  and  Shays 
spoke : — 

"  Ain't  you  the  young  chap  that  plead  that  case 
in  Springfield  about  two  weeks  before  we  shut  up 
their  shop  for  'em  ?  "  he  said,  eying  Perry  closely. 

"  I  would  n't  be  surprised  if  I  were  he,"  an 
swered  the  young  man,  carelessly.  "  And  are  n't 
you  Captain  Daniel  Shays  of  the  Continental 
army,  who  tried  to  prevent  me  from  speaking?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  I  '11  prevent  you  and  all  like  you, 
every  time  you  open  your  mouth.  What  do  you 
mean,  sir,  pleading  for  them  money-lenders  and 
24 


Captain  Shays. 

thieves  ?  Don't  you  know,  sir,  that  there 's  a 
change  going  on  here,  and  that  all  the  courts  are 
closed,  and  that  I  'm  on  my  way  to  Springfield  ?  " 

"  You  '11  find  some  friends  to  your  taste  up  in 
Barre,  Captain  Shays,"  said  Perry,  with  a  laugh. 
"  Do  you  really  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  expect 
to  prevent  the  law  from  taking  its  course  ?  Don't 
you  expect  any  one  to  pay  his  debts  ?  " 

"  No,  I  don't,  not  so  long  as  we  have  n't  any 
money  to  pay  'em  with  and  nothing  to  say  about 
the  law.  Where 're  you  going  now?  Down  to 
Worcester,  I  suppose,"  and  he  began  to  laugh 
disagreeably.  "Well,  go  ahead,  we  won't  stop 
you.  Our  men  have  got  Worcester,  and  if  you 
get  into  it  you  '11  have  a  lively  time.  I  'm  going 
to  Springfield,  and  while  I  sweep  east,  the  men  in 
Worcester  will  sweep  west,  and  we  '11  meet  some 
where  round  here.  Good-day,  Mr.  Lawyer.  You 
can  thank  your  -tars  that  you  Ve  got  off  with  your 
good  clothes  and  silver  buckles.  I  advise  you  to 
make  a  change  before  you  reach  Worcester,  for  I 
sha'n't  be  there  to  keep  'em  straight,  and  they  '11  be 
likely  to  make  you  pay  toll."  He  laughed  again 
as  before,  and  a  moment  later  was  galloping  away 
over  the  road  with  his  companions.  Perry  fol 
lowed  him  with  his  eyes  for  a  moment,  then  turned 
and  resumed  his  journey. 
25 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  'm  not  afraid  of  the  whole  gang,"  he  thought 
as  he  rode  along,  "  but  I  'm  not  sure  that  his 
advice  is  n't  good.  It  is  evident  that  this  costume 
is  conspicuous,  though  I  can't  see  why  it  should 
be.  When  I  get  to  Princeton  I  '11  see  if  I  can  get 
something  different,  and  I  can  do  this  up  and 
strap  it  behind  the  saddle.  I  might  give  up  going 
to  Worcester,  but  I  'd  like  to  see  whether  Shays 's 
lying  or  not.  I  must  be  at  the  meeting  in  Boston 
to-morrow  night,  no  matter  what  happens." 

It  was  about  four  o'clock  when  he  reached 
Princeton,  and  decided  to  rest  for  an  hour.  Much 
to  his  surprise  the  town  was  very  quiet,  and 
upon  inquiry  he  found  that  the  body  of  men  he 
had  met  had  not  passed  through  it.  When  he 
asked  for  a  suit  of  clothes  the  storekeeper  looked 
at  him  in  amazement,  evidently  being  of  the 
opinion  that  those  he  had  on  were  good  enough 
for  any  one.  But  he  was  soon  persuaded  that  they 
were  too  good  for  a  "  rough  ride,"  and  when  he 
saw  his  pay  in  silver,  was  convinced  that  it  would 
have  been  a  great  mistake  in  the  young  gentleman 
not  to  have  bought  them.  Perry  returned  to  the 
inn  and  changed  his  clothes,  and  when,  a  little 
later,  he  rode  out  of  the  town,  even  Daniel  Shays 
himself  could  have  found  no  fault  with  him.  So 
he  went  on  humming  and  whistling,  until  as  the 
26 


Captain  Shays. 

sun  was  setting  he  could  see  the  spires  of  Worces 
ter  in  the  distance. 

As  he  drew  nearer  the  town  he  noticed  a  rum 
bling  sound,  and  he  stopped  a  moment  to  listen. 
Finally  he  made  out  the  shouts  and  yells  of  the 
people,  and  decided  that  Shays  had  not  deceived 
him.  It  was  dark  when  he  entered  the  town,  and 
knowing  it  well,  he  rode  through  the  unfrequented 
streets  and  pulled  up  before  a  small  inn. 

"  Good-evening,  mine  host,"  he  said  as  he  dis 
mounted.  "  You  seem  quiet  enough  here.  What 's 
going  on  on  the  other  side  of  the  town  ?  It  sounds 
like  a  fire." 

"  It 's  the  rioters,  sir.  They  Ve  been  down  here 
and  had  their  fill,  and  now  they  're  up  at  the  other 
end.  Shays  was  here  this  morning  and  tried  to 
stop  'em,  but  it  was  no  use.  They  're  in  for  a 
row,  and  they  're  going  to  have  it.  Yes,  sir,  I  '11 
give  you  a  room,  but  I  can't  vouch  for  your  sleep 
ing  well  to-night." 

"  I  can  sleep  through  almost  anything,"  answered 
Perry,  with  a  laugh.  "  If  they  don't  pull  me  out  of 
bed  or  burn  the  house  down  I  '11  risk  it.  Give  me 
some  supper,  and  have  the  mare  well  rubbed  down 
and  her  feet  washed." 

"It  looks  as  if  the  mob  was  leaving  town,  sir. 
I  guess  they'll  move  on  before  morning.     These 
27 


Captain  Shays. 

are  disagreeable  times,  and  there's  no  doubt  a 
deal  of  suffering,  but  these  disturbances  don't 
help  any." 

"  Indeed  they  don't,  but  the  people  are  desperate. 
Their  farms  are  mortgaged,  and  they  can  pay 
neither  interest  nor  principal.  There  is  no  market 
for  their  goods,  and  there  is  very  little  money  to 
pay  in  even  if  a  market  be  found.  Has  there  been 
much  damage  done  here  ?  " 

"No,  sir.  Only  one  barn  burned  outside  the 
town.  It  is  n't  the  farmers  and  poor  people  who  're 
causing  these  disturbances.  It's  the  roughs  and 
highwaymen.  Some  of  these  fellows  have  broken 
gaol  and  they  are  a  drunken,  villanous  lot.  They 
have  n't  troubled  me  much,  though,  but  I  can't  tell 
when  they  '11  turn  up  here.  Half  a  dozen  of  'em 
came  into  the  tap-room  this  afternoon,  and  I  gave 
'em  something  and  then  got  rid  of  them.  But  if 
something  is  n't  done  before  long  there  '11  be 
trouble.  Shays  threatens  to  burn  every  town  in 
the  State  if  the  General  Court  don't  listen  to  him. 
I  '11  have  to  shut  up  my  house  if  matters  don't 
mend,  but  I  can't  see  that  I  'd  gain  anything  by 
destroying  other  people's  property,  and  obstructing 
the  law." 

"  Now  that  you  have  spoken  as  you  have,"  said 
young  Perry,  smiling  pleasantly,  "  I  don't  mind  tell- 
28 


Captain  Shays. 

ing  you  that  I  have  just  been  to  Springfield  on 
business  connected  with  the  court  there.  I  am 
now  on  my  way  back  to  Boston,  and  to-morrow 
night  I  attend  a  meeting  where  it  will  be  settled 
just  what  is  to  be  done.  Everything  seems  quiet 
in  the  streets  again,  so  I  '11  go  to  bed.  Call  me  at 
six  and  have  breakfast  ready,  for  I  've  got  more 
than  forty  miles  to  ride.  Good-night." 

The  host  lighted  him  to  his  room,  and  the  next 
morning  he  started  for  Boston. 


29 


CHAPTER   III. 

OF  the  many  beautiful  spots  in  Massachusetts, 
none  is  more  charming  in  the  month  of 
August  than  the  little  hillside  town  of  Petersham, 
perched  far  above  the  surrounding  country  on  the 
ridge  of  a  rolling  ledge.  It  is  then  that  its  fields 
are  bright  with  the  waving  golden-rod ;  its  brooks 
and  gurgling  streams  radiant  with  the  brilliant 
flaming  cardinal;  its  groves  and  pastures  sweet 
and  green  with  ferns  of  every  shade,  running 
blackberry,  and  high  bush  blueberry ;  its  ponds 
dotted  with  the  white  lily.  Then  the  cooling  winds 
pass  over  it  from  the  mountains  to  the  north,  or 
from  the  broad  Atlantic  to  the  east,  unobstructed 
and  unpolluted  by  the  stifling  breath  of  the  valleys 
far  below. 

To  New  England  folk  all  the  land  seems  beauti 
ful,  even  though  they  may  suffer  from  the  rigors 
of  its  variable  climate.  But  on  a  scorching  day  in 
August,  when  the  lowlands  gasp  under  the  torrid 

30 


Captain  Shays. 

sun,  this  little  town  breathes  the  sweet,  fresh, 
autumn-like  air,  and  sighs  for  her  poor  sisters,  as 
she  looks  down  on  them  in  pity. 

It  was  on  such  a  day  as  this,  more  than  a  cen 
tury  ago,  that  Ruth  Brown  stood  on  a  high  point 
of  land,  looking  toward  Monadnock  mountain. 
She  could  see  through  the  dim  haze  the  profile  of 
the  mountains  to  the  north,  and  the  summit  of 
Wachusett  to  the  east.  Through  the  tree-tops 
toward  the  southwest  rose  the  white  spire  of  the 
meeting-house,  and  below  her  were  the  roofs  and 
gables  of  two  or  three  houses,  with  their  barns 
near  by;  the  cattle  browsing  on  the  hillsides;  the 
sheep  roaming  over  the  pastures.  All  else  about 
was  shut  in  by  a  dense  mass  of  pine,  hemlock,  and 
maple,  with  here  and  there  a  grove  of  shagbarks, 
or  a  clump  of  oaks. 

Ruth  looked  toward  the  mountains  and  sighed. 
Then  she  picked  up  her  basket  and  started  down 
the  hill  toward  the  farm.  It  was  early  in  the 
afternoon,  and  she  had  been  gathering  wild  flowers 
and  blueberries.  Just  before  she  came  in  sight  of 
the  house  over  the  brow  of  the  hill  she  thought 
she  saw  a  group  of  men  on  horseback,  by  the  shed, 
and  as  she  drew  near  she  recognized  her  father 
standing  by  them  and  talking  earnestly. 

"  If  father 's  got  all  those  horses  to  shoe  it 's  a 


Captain  Shays. 

good  day's  work/'  she  thought.  "  But  they  won't 
pay  in  silver  as  that  young  gentleman  did.  What 's 
the  matter  with  father  lately?  He's  worried  about 
something,  and  I  '11  find  out  what  it  is." 

Neither  her  father  nor  the  men  noticed  her  as 
she  passed  through  the  shed  into  the  kitchen,  but 
kept  on  in  their  conversation.  Deacon  Brown 
was  bare-headed  and  without  coat,  and  his  hair, 
beard,  and  face  seemed  all  of  one  color. 

"  So  that  young  scoundrel  was  one  of  them  lying 
lawyers,  was  he,  Daniel?"  he  said  to  the  man  next 
him.  "  I  thought  as  much,  but  if  I  'd  a  been  sure  of 
it,  I  'd  a  put  the  red-hot  iron  onto  him  instead  of 
the  mare.  When  did  ye  meet  him  ?  A  week  ago  ? 
I  'd  like  to  get  a  list  of  them  fellows,  and  when  we 
get  hold  of  the  government  send  'em  all  out  of  the 
country." 

"  We  '11  fix  'em  soon,"  answered  Shays,  with  an 
oath.  "  I  guess  we  Ve  got  Worcester  and  Spring 
field  all  right,  and  every  town  in  the  west  is  up  in 
arms.  They  talk  of  sending  out  old  Ben  Lincoln, 
but  I  know  all  his  tricks,  and  ain't  afeard  of  him. 
You  '11  get  up  a  company  here  ?  All  right,  Ike,  I 
knew  you  'd  stand  by  us." 

"  Never  fear  about  that,  Daniel.  Me  and  my 
son  and  Abe  Morse  have  stood  about  all  we  can. 
A  year  ago  I  had  six  cows.  What  have  I  got 
32 


Captain  Shays. 

now  ?  One,  and  the  worst  one.  And  who 's 
taken  'em?  I  '11  tell  ye  who's  taken  'em,  Daniel 
Shays.  One  of  them  nabobs  down  in  Boston 
who's  got  ships,  and  houses,  and  who  drinks 
Madeira  wine,  and  goes  to  balls  in  his  gold  and 
lace,  while  I  work  here  day  in  and  day  out  at 
the  forge,  and  see  my  property  slipping  away 
from  me,  and  my  children  doomed  to  starvation. 
When  the  time  comes,  let  us  know,  and  we  '11 
follow  ye." 

"  Thank  you,  Ike,"  answered  Shays.  "  No,  we 
can't  wait  to-day,  for  I  must  take  a  run  over  to 
New  Salem.  Then  I  'm  going  back  to  the  Berk- 
shires.  If  they  come  after  any  more  of  your 
goods,  drive  'em  off,  Ike.  Give  'em  a  taste  of 
that  iron  of  yours.  I  '11  be  back  this  way  before 
long.  Good-bye." 

Daniel  Shays  put  spurs  to  his  horse,  and,  fol 
lowed  by  his  companions,  was  soon  disappearing 
over  the  hill  toward  Petersham  village. 

When  they  were  out  of  sight,  Deacon  Brown 
passed  his  hand  over  his  head  and  down  his 
beard,  went  into  the  kitchen,  and  found  Ruth. 

"  Give  me  a  drink  of  water,  Ruth,  girl.  It 's  hot 
at  the  forge  to-day,  and  the  thirst  is  on  me." 

"  What 's  ailing  you,  father  ?  "  said  Ruth,  hand 
ing  him  the  dipper  full  of  water.  "  You  get  tired 
3  33 


Captain  Shays. 

easily  lately,  and  you  are  worried.  What  is 
it?" 

"What  is  it,  ye  ask,  Ruth?  There's  enough 
going  on  to  make  me  and  the  whole  of  us  sick. 
Jest  go  about  your  work,  and  don't  ask  questions. 
There.  Now  I  feel  better.  I  've  got  another  job 
down  at  the  shop,  so  I  '11  be  going." 

"  Wait  a  minute,  father,"  said  Ruth,  going  up  to 
him  and  taking  his  great  freckled  hand  in  hers. 
"  There  is  something  on  your  mind,  and  it  is  fret 
ting  you  to  death.  Tell  me  what  it  is.  I  know 
you  had  to  borrow  money  on  the  cattle,  and  that 
they  Ve  taken  all  but  one  from  you.  Who  were 
the  men  you  were  talking  with  when  I  came  in 
just  now?" 

"  Ye  ask  too  many  questions  for  a  girl,"  said  the 
blacksmith,  turning  away  his  face.  "  Let  me  go, 
Ruth,  I  'm  busy." 

"  No,  father,"  said  his  daughter,  stepping  in  front 
of  the  door.  "  I  want  to  know  what 's  the  trouble 
with  you,  and  I  sha'n't  let  you  go  until  you  tell  me. 
Jimmy  's  at  the  shop,  and  can  take  care  of  things. 
Tell  me,  father." 

Deacon  Brown  hesitated  before  his  daughter's 

pleading  eyes.     She  was  the  one  object  in  his  life, 

and  he  had  never  refused  her  anything  he  could 

give  her.    Since  his  wife  died,  the  year  after  the 

34 


Captain  Shays. 

close  of  the  Revolution,  his  struggle  for  life  had 
been  a  hard  one,  but  he  had  borne  up  against  it 
bravely,  and  had  tried  to  keep  the  facts  from  his 
child,  hoping  all  the  time  that  affairs  would  mend, 
and  that  the  results  of  that  great  battle  for  liberty 
would  be  short-lived  in  their  depressing  effects 
upon  the  country's  industries,  and^hat  the  fruits 
of  the  victory  would  before  long  ripen.  But  in 
stead  of  growing  better,  matters  grew  worse,  and 
little  by  little  Brown  saw  his  hopes  fading,  and  the 
vision  of  approaching  ruin."| 

The  farm  on  which  he  lived  was  a  part  of  the 
original  grant  to  his  grandfather,  Joel  Brown,  who 
had  come  to  Nichewaug  from  Concord  toward 
the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century.  There  had 
been  then  many  hundred  acres,  but  when  Isaac 
inherited  it,  much  of  it  had  passed  into  other 
hands,  and  there  remained  but  some  two  hundred. 
This,  however,  included  the  richest  portions,  and 
the  crops  of  both  hay  and  grain  were  unrivalled 
for  many  miles  around. 

For  three  generations,  the  Browns  had  been 
blacksmiths  as  well  as  farmers.  The  little  wooden 
shed  by  the  watering  trough  at  the  foot  of  the 
mowing  had  a  long  history,  many  famous  men 
having  had  their  horses  shod  by  the  members  of 
the  family.  It  was  with  pride  that  Deacon  Isaac 
35 


Captain  Shays. 

pointed  to  the  spot  where  General  Stark  had  stood 
waiting  for  his  horse,  which  had  cast  a  shoe  "  on 
the  ledge  yonder." 

After  the  battle  of  Lexington  the  blacksmith 
left  the  forge  and  joined  the  army.  His  two  chil 
dren  remained  on  the  farm  with  their  mother,  and 
although  they;  had  many  hardships,  they  were 
happy.  At  last,  one  day,  Brown  was  brought 
home  with  a  sabre  wound  on  his  head,  and  for 
more  than  a  month  lay  between  life  and  death. 
In  the  mean  while  the  war  had  ended,  and  the 
country  had  been  freed. 

It  was  but  a  year  after  this  that  his  wife  died. 
The  blow  was  a  severe  one  to  him,  yet  he  lived  on 
cheerfully  in  his  children,  especially  in  Ruth,  who 
was  so  much  like  her  mother.  But  it  was  not  long 
before  he  realized  that  he  was  fighting  against 
too  great  odds,  for  the  business  of  the  forge  slack 
ened,  and  the  market  for  his  produce  vanished. 
One  day  he  bade  good-bye  to  his  children  and 
went  to  Worcester.  Two  days  later  he  returned, 
and  for  a  time  was  cheerful,  and  went  about  his 
work  with  energy.  During  the  next  three  years 
he  went  away  several  times,  —  on  each  occasion 
returning  with  some  present  for  Ruth,  now  a  new 
frock,  now  a  bunch  of  ribbon.  In  the  mean  while 
the  children  had  grown  up,  and  while  James 

36 


Captain  Shays. 

helped  his  father  in  the  shop,  Ruth  took  care  of 
the  house  and  dairy. 

So  matters  went  on  until  about  a  year  before 
the  opening  of  this  story.  Then  one  day,  as  Ruth 
was  in  the  barn-loft  gathering  eggs,  she  heard 
some  one  enter  the  cow-shed  below,  and  a  moment 
after  she  recognized  her  father's  voice. 

"  Can't  ye  let  them  cows  stay  a  little  longer  ?  " 
he  said,  evidently  excited.  "  I  tell  ye  I  '11  give  ye 
another  mortgage  for  a  hundred  dollars,  and  if 
ye  '11  be  patient  ye  '11  get  all  your  money  in  another 
year." 

"  I  'm  sorry,  Mr.  Brown,"  said  a  voice  with  a 
nasal  twang  and  disagreeable  precision,  "  but  the 
limit  has  been  reached.  You  have  paid  no  in 
terest  for  more  than  six  months,  and  I  must 
protect  myself.  But  I  tell  you  what  I  '11  do  for 
you,  for  I  don't  want  to  press  you.  I  '11  take  five 
of  the  cows,  and  leave  the  one  you  choose.  Then 
give  me  your  note  for  a  hundred  dollars,  and  I  'II 
give  you  fifty  for  it.  Is  n't  that  satisfactory  ? 
That'll  clear  the  interest,  and  as  the  mortgages 
on  the  farm  have  more  than  a  year  to  run,  you 
will  have  time  to  collect  yourself." 

"  Very  well,"  answered  the  blacksmith,  and  Ruth 
could  hear  a  deep  sigh.  The  men  then  left  the 
barn,  and  the  girl  came  down  from  her  hiding-place. 
37 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  don't  understand  what  they  Ve  been  talk 
ing  about,"  she  thought,  as  she  watched  the  man 
starting  off,  "  but  I  'm  sure  father 's  in  trouble. 
I  won't  say  anything  to  him,  though,  for  he  knows 
his  own  business." 

From  that  day,  it  seemed  to  Ruth  that  her 
father  began  to  age,  and  that  his  work  became 
burdensome  to  him.  Occasionally  he  joked  and 
laughed,  as  he  had  done  when  he  teased  her  about 
Abe  Morse,  but  at  all  other  times  he  went  to  the 
forge  and  back  with  a  heavy  step,  and  with  hang 
ing  head. 

As  Ruth  stood  barring  the  door,  he  raised  his 
eyes  and  looked  at  her. 

"  Who  told  ye  about  them  cows  ?  "  he  said.  "  I 
sold  'em  because  they  was  n't  no  good,  and  it 's  my 
business." 

"  Nobody  told  me,  father,"  she  answered,  return 
ing  his  gaze.  "  I  guessed  it.  But  I  know  that 
either  something 's  troubling  you,  or  you  're  not  well. 
Tell  me  what  it  is,  father.  I  want  to  help  you." 

"You  dear  girl,"  said  the  blacksmith,  pulling 
her  away  from  the  door  and  kissing  her.  "  Of 
course  ye  'd  help  me,  as  ye  always  have  done. 
But  the  trouble's  one  that  no  one  can  help  as 
long  as  we  are  trodden  down  by  the  courts  and  the 
money-lenders.  No,  Ruth,  dear.  Go  about  your 

38 


Captain  Shays. 

work,  and  I  '11  go  about  mine,  and  the  good  God  '11 
give  us  justice  before  long.  That  was  Captain 
Daniel  Shays  who  was  here  when  ye  came  in. 
Ye  've  never  heard  of  him,  girl,  but  I  fought  beside 
him  ten  years  ago,  and  he  was  a  brave  man.  I 
must  go  now,  for  I've  work  to  do.  Don't  fret 
about  me.  I  suppose  I  'm  getting  old,  as  folks 
have  to  do  sooner  or  later;  but  I  'm  well  and 
hearty,  and  can  swing  a  hammer  for  many  a  year 
yet.  Ay  !  and  a  sword  and  musket,  too,  when  the 
time  comes.  Don't  think  no  more  about  these 
things,  Ruth.  Every  cloud  has  a  silver  lining, 
and  we  '11  be  all  right  after  Dan  Shays  has  done 
his  work.  Have  a  big  pancake  to-night,  for 
Jimmy  '11  be  hungry." 

With  this  he  walked  out  of  the  shed,  over  the 
wall,  and  down  to  the  shop.  Ruth  stood  a  mo 
ment,  thinking.  Then  with  a  look  of  determina 
tion  she  went  about  her  work. 

"  I  'm  going  to  find  out  about  this,  and  I  'm 
going  to  do  something,"  she  said  aloud.  "  Jimmy 
is  a  good  boy,  but  he  is  ruled  by  father.  I  '11  ask 
somebody  else,"  and  she  went  out  into  the  garden 
and  plucked  a  marigold  and  put  it  in  her  hair. 


39 


CHAPTER  IV. 

NOT  far  from  the  mouth  of  the  Neponset  River, 
in  the  old  town  of  Dorchester,  there  stood  a 
century  or  more  ago  a  venerable  dwelling-house, 
built,  it  is  said,  by  one  of  the  foremost  of  those 
hardy  pioneers  who  landed  on  the  shore  of  Massa 
chusetts  Bay  from  the  good  ship  Mary  and  John, 
to  settle  that  wilderness,  which  as  yet  had  known 
no  other  habitation  than  the  wigwams  of  the  In 
dian,  and  the  humble  log-cabins  of  the  few  traders 
who  had  ventured  to  this  barren  land  in  search  of 
home  and  fortune. 

At  the  period  of  this  story  the  house  was  the 
same  rectangular  two-story  building  that  it  had 
been  a  century  and  a  half  before,  with  its  thick 
walls  lined  with  brick  to  keep  out  the  savage  cold 
in  winter,  and  the  savage's  arrows  and  bullets  at 
all  times.  Yet  the  ell  on  the  northeast  corner,  and 
the  shed  and  barn  to  the  northwest,  were  of  modern 
construction,  necessary  additions  to  the  limited 
40 


Captain  Shays. 

space  of  the  old  house.  In  front,  toward  the 
south,  was  the  well  which  never  ran  dry,  shadowed, 
as  was  the  dwelling  itself,  by  the  one  spreading 
elm,  whose  age  no  one  could  tell  with  accuracy. 
Near  these  was  the  narrow  country  road,  and  be 
yond  this  again  the  meadows  stretching  to  the 
marshes  and  river's  mouth. 

How  difficult  it  is  for  us  to  realize,  as  we  pass 
over  the  great  bridge,  or  walk  up  the  busy  streets 
between  brick  buildings,  dwellings,  and  churches, 
that  a  hundred  years  ago  the  Minot  House  in  Dor 
chester  stood  almost  alone  in  the  midst  of  the  acres 
which  were  a  part  of  the  tract  of  land  originally 
granted  to  George  Minot,  early  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  The  view  over  the  river,  the  harbor, 
the  islands,  and  the  cape,  which  was  then  unob 
structed,  is  now  entirely  shut  in  by  modern  build 
ings.  Milton  Hill,  backed  by  the  range  of  the 
Blue  Hills,  Squantum,  Nantasket,  Dorchester 
Heights,  Roxbury,  and  the  lighthouse,  are  now 
as  distant  as  the  Alps  of  Savoy.  Yet  a  hundred 
years  ago  all  these  points,  and  many  more  besides, 
could  be  seen  from  the  house,  and  orchard  rising 
to  the  west  of  it. 

As  William  Perry  rode  over  Dorchester  Neck, 
and  took  the  narrow  road  toward  the  Neponset 
River,  the  sun  was  setting  over  Milton,  casting 


Captain  Shays. 

long  shadows  into  the  bay  and  across  the  fields 
and  marshes.  He  had  been  singing  and  whistling 
much  of  the  way  from  Worcester,  but  as  he  ap 
proached  the  end  of  his  journey,  he  became  seri 
ous,  and  absorbed  in  thought.  Perry  had,  in 
truth,  much  on  his  mind,  although  those  who  met 
him  riding  along  in  his  careless  manner,  had  little 
suspected  it,  for  he  was  always  smiling,  and  had 
a  cheerful,  pleasant  good-morning  for  all.  But 
hidden  behind  this  outward  levity  there  was 
thoughtful  gravity,  which  came  to  the  surface 
from  time  to  time,  and  gave  his  face  the  expres 
sion  it  wore  as  he  approached  the  lane  leading 
to  Mr.  Minot's  house.  As  he  turned  toward  the 
west,  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun  struck  his  face 
and  roused  him,  and  he  looked  out  over  the  river 
and  bay. 

"  I  'm  a  little  early,"  he  thought,  as  he  raised  his 
head  and  glanced  about  him,  "but  I  have  no 
doubt  Mr.  Minot  will  be  glad  to  see  me.  Let  me 
see,  who  did  he  say  were  to  be  at  the  meeting 
besides  his  excellency  ?  Ah,  yes,  I  remember : 
General  Lincoln,  Ames,  and  Otis.  I  don't  think 
Hancock  will  come,"  and  he  smiled.  "  If  they  are 
wise,"  he  went  on  a  little  later,  "  they  '11  call  the 
militia  out,  but  with  orders  to  use  judgment.  I 
don't  know  ^whether  Lincoln 's  the  right  man  to 
42 


Captain  Shays. 

lead  them  or  not.  He  's  hot-headed,  and  the  peo 
ple  need  to  be  conciliated.  I  '11  have  plenty  to 
tell  them,  and  some  advice  to  give.  If  they  don't 
want  it,  they  need  n't  take  it." 

He  was  now  nearing  the  house,  and  a  moment 
later  slipped  off  his  mare  and  knocked  on  the 
door.  The  summons  was  answered  by  the  host 
himself. 

"Well,  Billy,"  he  said,  taking  the  young  man 
cordially  by  the  hand,  "  I  'm  glad  you  Ve  come 
before  the  others,  for  I  've  some  things  to  ask  you 
about.  Sam,"  he  called  to  the  negro  boy  stand 
ing  in  front  of  the  barn,  "take  Mr.  Perry's 
mare." 

"  And  look  after  her  carefully,  Sammy,"  said 
Perry,  eying  her  all  over.  "  She  's  had  a  week 
of  it.  Be  careful  not  to  feed  her  too  soon.  Ex 
cuse  me,  Mr.  Minot,  I  think  a  good  deal  of  that 
mare.  Thank  you,  yes,  I  '11  have  a  glass  of  wine 
with  pleasure,  sir." 

He  passed  through  the  front  door,  and  found 
himself  in  the  hall,  or  entry-way,  leading  through 
the  house  to  the  garden  beyond.  Then  his  host 
led  him  into  the  low-studded  room  on  the  left,  and 
taking  down  a  bottle  of  Madeira,  set  it  on  the 
mahogany  dining-table. 

"  This  has  been  twice  to  India,  Billy,"  he  said, 
43 


Captain  Shays. 

lifting  his  glass  and  holding  it  before  one  of  the 
candles.  "  A  good  color,  has  n't  it  ? " 

"And  a  good  flavor,  too,  Mr.  Minot.  But  do 
you  know  that  it  almost  burns  my  throat  to  drink 
it  ?  I  have  heard  so  much  of  the  Madeira-drink 
ing  merchants  of  Boston  and  their  vices,  during 
the  last  three  weeks,  that  I  begin  to  feel  as  if  I 
were  committing  a  crime  to  look  upon  a  bottle  of 
it.  Do  you  know,  sir,  that  there  is  some  reason 
for  all  this  rebellious  talk,  too?  I  have  been  to 
Springfield,  and  through  the  principal  towns  of 
Worcester,  and  there  is  undoubtedly  much  suffer 
ing  there.  The  people  are  in  a  ferment,  and  des 
perate,  and  Shays  and  Day  are  doing  all  in  their 
power  to  excite  them  and  make  them  discontented. 
I  had  three  cases  on  at  Springfield,  and  I  could  only 
get  heard  in  two  of  'em.  The  next  day  their  honors 
thought  it  best  to  close  the  Court  House.  Captain 
Shays  had  arrived  in  town,  and  when  I  began  to 
address  the  court,  he  attempted  to  stop  me." 

"  Did  n't  they  arrest  the  rascal  ? "  asked  the 
other,  setting  down  his  glass. 

"They  not  only  did  not  arrest  him,  but  the  next 
day  they  left  the  town.  I  don't  know  whether 
Dan  Shays  is  the  happy  owner  of  Pegasus  or  not, 
but  four  days  after  this  I  met  him  just  to  the  west 
of  Princeton  on  his  way  from  Worcester.  The 
44 


Captain  Shays. 

first  thing  we  learn,  he  '11  be  attacking  Boston.  I 
advise  you  to  see  that  your  brick-lining  is  secure," 
he  added  with  a  laugh. 

"  Did  you  pass  through  Worcester  ?  I  thought 
you  had  business  there." 

"  So  I  had,  but  when  I  arrived  there  the  town 
was  in  an  uproar.  I  got  a  room  at  Davis's  little 
inn,  —  you  know  it,  —  and  rested  comparatively  well. 
But  I  assure  you  that  I  was  perfectly  satisfied  to 
start  for  home  early  the  next  morning.  This  side 
of  Worcester  is  rather  more  congenial  than  the 
other  just  at  present.  But  I  really  don't  wonder 
much  at  the  farmers'  grumblings.  There  is  abso 
lutely  no  market  for  their  produce.  One  old  chap 
I  met  up  in  Petersham  seemed  to  be  better  off  than 
most  of  'em.  He  had  a  little  blacksmith-shop  next 
the  road,  and  appeared  to  be  working  comfortably. 
But  he  was  an  exception.  Everywhere  else,  Spring 
field,  Barre,  Worcester,  they  were  doing  nothing 
but  abuse  government  and  praise  Shays  as  if  he 
were  the  Lord  himself." 

"  Did  Shays  attempt  any  violence  against  you 
when  he  met  you  ?  " 

"  No,  and  I  am  surprised  that  he  did  n't.     But 

they  tell  me  that  he  does  fairly  well  in  that  respect, 

and  will  prevent  any  assault  if  he  can  do  so.     I  am 

inclined  to  think  that  he  expected  I  would  get  my 

45 


Captain  Shays. 

dose  in  Worcester.  But  I  followed  his  advice, 
and  that  probably  saved  me." 

"  What  was  that  ?  " 

"  He  advised  me  to  change  my  clothes,"  said 
Perry,  bursting  into  a  peal  of  laughter,  "  and  I 
did  it,  as  you  must  have  noticed.  I  got  this 
homespun  suit  in  Princeton,  and  my  other  is  in 
this  package.  If  you  will  allow  me  the  use  of  one 
of  your  rooms  I  will  don  it,  for  I  'm  afraid  old  Gen 
eral  Lincoln  would  object  to  my  present  costume, 
even  were  Governor  Bowdoin  to  countenance  it. 
Thank  you,  I  will  take  the  candle.  I  know  the 
way,  Mr.  Minot,  so  don't  trouble  yourself  to  come 
with  me.  By  the  way,  who  is  coming  besides  the 
general  and  the  governor  ?  " 

"  My  young  friends,  Ames  and  Otis." 

"  Has  his  excellency  decided  what  to  do  ? 
Does  he  mean  to  send  Lincoln  to  the  west  at 
once  ? " 

"  That 's  my  impression,  Billy,  but  I  'm  not  pos 
itive  about  it.  Go  and  take  off  those  clothes,  or 
you  will  be  mistaken  for  one  of  Shays'  lieutenants, 
and  what  you  say  will  not  have  a  good  effect. 
When  you  are  ready  come  down  and  eat  some 
thing.  They  '11  be  here  in  less  than  an  hour." 

Perry  took  the  candle  and  went  up  the  narrow 
stairway  to  the  room  above  that  in  which  he  had 
46 


Captain  Shays. 

been  sitting.  He  drew  the  chintz  curtains,  set 
the  candlestick  upon  the  small  inlaid  loo  table, 
and  dressed.  When  he  went  down  to  the  dining- 
room  again  he  found  his  host  awaiting  him,  and  an 
ample  repast  spread  upon  the  table. 

"  Now  I  feel  more  like  myself,  sir,"  he  said,  as 
he  entered  the  room. 

"  I  'm  rather  relieved,"  said  Mr.  Minot,  smiling. 
"  I  was  not  sure,  when  I  first  saw  you,  that  you 
had  not  joined  the  rebels.  Now  while  you  're 
eating  your  supper  tell  me,  please,  just  what 
you  've  seen  since  you  Ve  been  gone,  and  what 
your  impression  is  as  to  what  should  be  done.  I 
have  heard  of  the  riots  in  and  about  the  western 
towns,  but  from  no  one  whom  I  could  trust." 

"  I  am  not  sure,  sir,"  said  Perry,  his  face  assum 
ing  a  more  serious  expression,  "  that  I  can  tell  you 
much  of  interest,  but  I  '11  try  to  give  you  an  idea 
of  what  I  discovered.  As  you  know,  I  went 
mainly  on  professional  business,  although  I  con 
sidered  myself  more  or  less  of  an  envoy  of  his 
excellency,  because  of  what  he  said  to  me  before 
I  started.  So  I  took  particular  pains  to  notice 
the  temper  of  the  people  and  gather  what  I  could 
from  conversation  with  them.  I  went  through 
Cambridge,  Watertown,  Groton,  and  so  on  toward 
the  west,  and  everywhere  the  cry  was  for  more 
47 


Captain  Shays. 

money  and  more  work.  The  news  of  the  General 
Court's  refusal  to  grant  the  petition  for  the  issuing 
of  currency  had  spread  like  wild-fire,  and  the 
farmers  and  townsfolk  were  gathered  in  angry 
groups.  I  tell  you,  sir,  they  looked  savage.  But 
they  also  looked  pitiable,  and  I  was  sorry  for 
them.  Poor,  half-starved,  and  in  some  cases 
ragged.  We  cannot  deny  the  fact  that  they  are 
suffering  terribly." 

The  young  man  lifted  his  glass  of  Madeira,  but 
set  it  down  without  tasting  it.  Then  he  proceeded : 

"  Strange  to  say,  the  farther  west  I  got  the  more 
stirred  up  they  seemed  to  be.  It  was  not  until  I 
reached  Hatfield  that  I  saw  anything  really  revo 
lutionary.  You  have  probably  heard  an  account 
of  what  happened  two  weeks  ago." 

"  Yes.  I  Ve  been  informed  of  the  convention, 
but  nothing  of  its  particulars." 

"  Well,  sir,  it  was  the  most  exciting  event  of  my 
life,  and  I  came  nearer  getting  frightened  than  I 
ever  have  before  or  since.  The  mass  of  those 
gathered  in  the  convention  were  well-meaning, 
honest  farmers,  but  the  leaders  and  orators  were 
low,  disreputable  fellows.  Where  they  came 
from,  God  only  knows.  They  seemed  to  have  the 
convention  entirely  under  their  control,  and  the 
vote  to  abolish  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  was 
48 


Captain  Shays. 

unanimous.  Then  came  a  motion  that  Daniel 
Shays  should  be  elected  governor  of  the  Common 
wealth.  There  were  shouts  and  cries  for  Shays, 
and  for  every  old  gaol-bird  let  loose,  and  finally  the 
meeting  broke  up,  and  they  forgot  to  elect  him. 
I  then  went  to  Springfield,  with  the  results  I  have 
already  told  you,  sir." 

"Then  you  really  think,  Billy,  that  there  is 
serious  trouble  ahead  ? " 

"  I  'm  sure  of  it,  sir.  It  is  fortunate  that  we 
have  such  a  strong  hand  as  Governor  Bowdoin's 
to  take  hold  of  it.  I  say  to  you,  though,  as  I  will 
say  to  the  gentlemen  this  evening,  that  I  pity  the 
people  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart.  They  mis 
understand  us,  and  we  misunderstand  them.  It 
is  the  old  story.  Concessions  will  have  to  be 
made  on  both  sides,  and  something  will  have  to 
be  done  to  relieve  the  agricultural  districts.  As 
to  Shays  and  his  mountebanks,  they  should  be 
captured  and  punished.  The  real  sufferers  should 
be  treated  with  consideration.  You  Ve  got  me 
started,  sir,  and  I  'm  afraid  I  '11  tell  all  my  story 
before  they  come,  and  a  double  dose  of  it  would 
weary  you." 

"  Not  at  all,  my  boy,  not  at  all.  What  you  have 
already  said  has  set  me  to  thinking.  I  've  been 
inclined  to  look  upon  this  whole  trouble  as  caused 
4  49 


Captain  Shays. 

by  an  unreasonable,  shiftless  rabble,  but  I  'm  not 
entirely  sure  that  there  are  not  two  sides  to  it. 
There  's  a  coach  coming  up  the  road  now,  so  you 
may  reserve  the  rest  until  they  come.  Ah!  it's 
his  excellency  and  General  Lincoln.  I  can  see 
them  getting  out." 

The  next  moment  the  door  was  opened,  and  the 
two  distinguished  men  entered  the  house. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  two  men  who  had  come  to  the  old  house 
in  Dorchester  on  invitation  of  its  owner, 
were  at  this  time  past  the  half -century  of  life, 
and  both  had  seen  the  struggles  and  successes 
through  which  their  country  had  passed  since 
the  culmination  of  the  French  wars,  and  both 
bore  the  scars  of  battle ;  the  one  that  of  the 
forum,  the  other  that  of  active  service  at  the 
front. 

James  Bowdoin  was  a  scholar  and  a  statesman, 
Benjamin  Lincoln  a  farmer  and  a  soldier.  Yet 
in  many  ways  they  were  much  alike.  Both  were 
ardent  patriots ;  firm  in  their  faith  in  the  new 
republic ;  of  unimpeachable  integrity,  unflinch 
ing  courage,  and  quick  to  distinguish  between 
right  and  wrong.  To  those  who  did  not  know 
the  two  men.  Governor  Bowdoin  seemed  the  more 
tractable  and  sweet-tempered.  But  this  was  not 
truly  the  case,  for  a  kinder  and  more  compas 
sionate  heart  than  General  Lincoln's,  none  had. 
He  at  times  carried  his  ideas  of  justice  to 
51 


Captain  Shays. 

extremes,  which  cost  him  popularity;  but  by 
nature  he  was  mildness  itself.  Neither  Governor 
Bowdoin  nor  General  Lincoln  allowed  the  desire 
for  popular  favor  to  stand  in  the  way  of  doing 
what  in  their  clear  judgment  was  right,  and  for 
the  best  interests  of  the  people  they  were  called 
upon  to  serve. 

In  personal  appearance  the  two  men  were  strik 
ingly  different.  The  governor's  features  were  in 
some  respects  not  unlike  those  of  the  last  colonial 
governor,  Thomas  Hutchinson,  though  it  is  doubt 
ful  if  a  reference  to  the  resemblance  would  have 
gratified  the  patriot  and  friend  of  John  and  Samuel 
Adams.  There  were  the  same  high  forehead, 
prominent  nose  and  chin,  and  curving  mouth. 
Yet  the  eyes  were  very  different,  being  large  and 
prominent.  Although  fifty-eight  years  of  age, 
Governor  Bowdoin's  carriage  was  erect,  and  he 
held  his  head  high,  which  gave  him  an  air  of  great 
dignity.  He  was  also  somewhat  of  a  dandy :  his 
white  waving  wig,  green  broadcloth  coat  and 
small-clothes,  white  stockings,  and  silver-buckled 
shoes  being  immaculate  in  their  appearance,  and 
irreproachable  in  their  cut.  As  William  Perry 
saw  him,  he  was  glad  that  he  had  disposed  of  his 
homespun  outfit. 

General  Lincoln  was  less  careful  of  his  dress. 
52 


Captain  Shays. 

His  bullet-shaped  head,  bald  on  top,  was  devoid 
of  wig.  His  clothes  were  of  black  broadcloth 
throughout,  finished  below  by  black  stockings  and 
black  shoes.  He  carried  a  gold-headed  cane,  and 
as  he  walked  a  slight  limp  was  noticeable,  the 
result  of  his  wound  received  during  the  Revolu 
tion.  His  face  was  heavy,  and  the  drawn  mouth 
and  raised  eyebrows  gave  him  a  dogged  expres 
sion.  Yet  the  set  lips  parted  as  he  entered  the 
room,  and  the  smile  that  spread  over  his  face  was 
pleasant.  Such  were  the  two  men  who  were  to 
put  down  with  a  firm  hand  the  insurrection  led  by 
Daniel  Shays. 

"  Good-evening.  Good-evening,  Minot,"  said 
the  governor,  extending  his  hand.  "  Ah  !  here 
you  are,  my  young  friend.  Lincoln,  don't  you 
know  Charles  Perry's  son?  No?  He's  a  rising 
young  lawyer,  and  he  can  give  us  some  news  from 
the  west,  too,  I  Ve  no  doubt." 

"  I  never  met  the  young  man  before,"  said  the 
general,  returning  William's  polite  salutation,  "  but 
I  knew  your  father  well,  sir.  He  was  with  me  in 
Virginia  in  '77." 

"  I  remember  his  speaking  of  you,  honored  sir," 
answered  Perry,  again  bowing.  "  Of  course  you  're 
known  to  every  one." 

"Tut,  tut,  young  man,"  said  Lincoln,  shutting 
53 


Captain  Shays. 

his  mouth  with  a  snap,  and  looking  up  from  under 
his  brows.  "  I  'm  a  farmer,  sir,  and  am  known  to 
no  one  at  present." 

"  You  're  too  modest,  Lincoln,"  said  the  gov 
ernor,  smiling. 

"  Call  it  what  you  like,  your  excellency.  I  'm 
obeying  my  commander-in-chief,  otherwise  I  should 
have  remained  at  Hingham.  Did  you  say  this 
young  man  has  been  west?  What  did  you  hear, 
sir  ? " 

"  With  his  excellency's  permission  I  will  tell 
you  of  my  trip." 

"Speak,  William.  We've  come  here  to  be 
informed." 

"Excuse  me,  your  excellency,  but  Ames  and 
Otis  will  be  with  us  before  long.  Don't  you  think 
it  would  be  better  to  wait  for  them  ?  Otis  is  very 
enthusiastic,  and  Ames  is  vying  with  our  young 
friend  here,"  said  the  host,  smiling  at  Perry,  "  for 
honors  at  the  bar.  He  is  a  brilliant  young  man, 
and  may  be  able  to  give  us  good  advice." 

"  By  all  means  wait  for  them.  Now  that  you 
have  taken  out  that  bottle  of  Madeira,  we  can 
discuss  that.  Eh  !  Lincoln  ?  Perhaps  it 's  better 
than  that  I  offered  you  yesterday." 

"  I  doubt  it,"  answered  the  general,  lifting  his 
glass  to  his  lips,  "  but  nevertheless  I  'm  willing 
54 


Captain  Shays. 

to  try  it.  It's  good,  very  good,  Minot,"  he  went 
on,  smacking  his  lips  and  closing  his  eyes.  "  I 
compliment  you  on  it.  Hancock  has  some  very 
like  it." 

"  It 's  the  same,  sir,"  answered  Mr.  Minot.  "  I 
see  you  haven't  lost  your  taste  yet." 

"  Oh,  no,  not  in  the  least,"  and  he  lifted  the  glass 
again,  and  closed  his  eyes. 

"  Here  they  are.  I  hear  their  horses.  Now, 
Billy,  get  yourself  in  readiness,  for  you'll  be  well 
plied  with  questions." 

"  Mr.  Perry,"  said  Governor  Bowdoin,  a  little 
later,  as  they  all  sat  round  the  table  in  the  dining- 
room,  "  I  've  about  made  up  my  mind  what  to  do, 
but  I  'd  like  your  report.  I  think,  too,  that  General 
Lincoln  would  be  glad  to  hear  it." 

"  Of  course,  of  course ! "  said  the  general, 
nodding  across  the  table  to  Perry. 

"  Then  I  '11  give  you  such  information  as  I  Ve 
been  able  to  gather,"  answered  the  young  man. 
"  I  found  discontent  everywhere  in  the  western 
towns.  There  was  bad  blood  enough  before  the 
General  Court  refused  the  petition,  but  when  that 
came,  followed  by  an  appropriation  to  the  use  of 
the  Federal  government,  the  excitement  was  un 
bounded,  and  the  people  swore  that  they  would 
prevent  its  being  accomplished.  About  this  time 
55 


Captain  Shays. 

Daniel  Shays  began  his  work  of  rebellion,  and  he 
has  gathered  about  him  all  the  cut-throats  he  can 
get  hold  .of.  The  trouble 's  only  just  begun,  your 
excellency." 

"  I  understand  that  in  Lenox  the  people  take  a 
more  reasonable  view  of  matters,"  said  the  governor. 

"  So  I  've  heard,  sir,  but  I  did  n't  go  there.  I 
went,  however,  through  Pelham  and  Petersham, 
and  I  can  assure  you  that  you  have  very  little  idea 
of  the  irritation  of  the  farmers.  They  swear  to 
stop  the  courts,  and  block  business,  until  their 
demands  are  granted.  They  are  willing  to  follow 
Shays  or  anybody  else  who  will  help  them  accom 
plish  their  purpose." 

"  I  think  I  understand  the  situation,"  said  the 
governor,  raising  his  glass  and  inclining  his  head 
toward  his  host.  "  Lincoln,  will  you  do  something 
forme?" 

The  general  looked  at  him  a  moment  without 
speaking,  then  opening  his  mouth  with  a  snap  he 
said,  — 

"  What  is  it,  sir  ?  That  depends  upon  what 
it  is." 

"  I  want  you  to  take  command  of  the  militia  and 
put  this  revolt  down  at  once.  There  is  no  one 
who  can  do  it  as  effectively." 

"  Yes,  there  is,"  answered  Lincoln,  rather  shortly. 

56 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Who  is  it,  pray  ?  I  told  you  a  little  while  ago 
that  you  were  getting  too  modest,  Lincoln.  Who 
is  it  ?  " 

"Shepard.  He's  got  two  whole  legs,  and  I 
have  n't.  But  of  course  I  am  at  your  service  if 
you  command  me." 

"  But  you  would  prefer  not  to  undertake  it?  " 
"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  yes.     I  'm  getting  lazy, 
and  with  five  or  six  hundred  men  Shepard  can  do 
the  work  as  well  as  I  could." 

"  Then  let  it  be  Shepard.  But  if  he  does  n't 
succeed  at  once  I  shall  call  on  you." 

"  All  right.  He  '11  succeed  easily  enough.  I 
knew  this  Shays  when  he  was  with  Gates,  and  it  '11 
take  about  an  ounce  of  powder  to  blow  him  into 
Rhode  Island." 

"  Governor  Bowdoin,"  said  young  Fisher  Ames, 
who  thus  far  had  kept  silence.  "If  your  excel 
lency  will  permit  it,  I  would  like  very  much  to 
volunteer  my  services." 

"And  I  too,"  broke  in  Harrison  Gray  Otis. 
"  We  're  both  old  soldiers,  as  you  know,  sir,"  he 
added  with  a  laugh. 

"  Very  patriotic  young  men,  to  be  sure,"  said  the 
governor,  with  a  nod  of  approval.  "  I  'm  delighted. 
And  you,  Mr.  Perry  ?  " 

"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  sir,"  answered  William, 
57 


Captain  Shays. 

firmly,  "  I  'd  rather  not  just  at  present.  I  prefer 
to  act  as  a  mediator,  for  I  cannot  convince  myself 
that  the  farmers  are  entirely  wrong  in  their  feel 
ings.  I  will  do  all  I  can  to  assist  you,  and  to 
bring  Shays  and  his  immediate  followers  to  justice, 
but  I  do  not  feel  as  yet  like  taking  arms  against  a 
people  who  have  already  all  they  can  bear,  and 
who  are  at  least  honest  and  sincere.  I  'm  glad  of 
an  opportunity  of  expressing  myself,  and  I  feel  sure 
that  neither  your  excellency  nor  these  other  gentle 
men  will  misunderstand  me." 

"  I  understand  you  perfectly,"  said  Ames,  pleas 
antly.  "  But  I  think  you  're  a  little  too  conscien 
tious.  It 's  against  Shays  that  we  are  going,  not 
against  these  people." 

"  Very  true.  But  the  farmers  will  consider  any 
movement  against  the  leaders  as  directed  against 
them  and  their  rights.  My  advice  would  be  to 
call  a  convention  and  invite  the  farmers  to  send 
representatives  to  it,  then  come  to  some  amicable 
settlement." 

"  A  very  good  idea,  my  boy,"  said  the  governor^ 
"  were  it  not  too  late.  So  long  as  this  rascal  is  at 
large  he  will  allow  no  reconciliation,  and  our  first 
step  must  be  to  put  him  behind  the  bars.  Then 
we  can  have  such  a  convention  as  you  suggest. 
But  you  are  quite  right  in  your  position  since  you 


Captain  Shays. 

feel  as  you  do.  You  can  undoubtedly  help  us, 
though,  in  other  ways,  and  I  'm  sure  that  you  will 
do  so." 

"  With  the  greatest  pleasure,  your  excellency. 
The  Supreme  Court  meets  in  Springfield  next 
month,  and  I  shall  appear  before  it.  I  can  tell 
you,  sir,  that  that  will  take  some  courage,  for 
Shays  will  never  allow  it  to  sit  if  he  can  prevent 
it.  I  start  next  week,  and  I  '11  learn  all  I  can  and 
report  to  you  as  before." 

"  Very  well,  then,"  said  the  governor,  "  and  you, 
young  men,  report  to  General  Shepard  at  once. 
The  order  will  be  issued  to-morrow  for  him  to 
stand  in  readiness  to  march  at  any  moment.  I  'm 
sorry  you  won't  go,  Lincoln,  but  I  've  no  doubt 
you  're  right,  and  you  've  done  your  share,  and 
should  be  permitted  to  rest  on  your  farm  for  a 
time.  Everything  seems  to  be  understood,  so  I  '11 
say  good-night,  Minot." 

"  Good-night,  your  excellency.  Good-night, 
general." 

After  the  coach  had  rolled  away,  Ames  said  to 
William,— 

"  Since  you  Ve  not  going  to  join  us,  I  '11  ask  you 
to  take  charge  of  that  Foss  and  Kelly  case  for  me. 
I  can't  very  well  be  soldier  and  lawyer  too,  but 
I  'm  inclined  to  think  you  '11  get  the  worst  of  it." 
59 


Captain  Shays. 

11  You  're  undoubtedly  right,  Ames.  But  I  '11 
look  after  your  matter  with  great  pleasure." 

"And  by  the  way,"  added  Ames,  "old  Jerry 
Piper,  the  pawnbroker,  came  to  me  the  other  day 
about  a  mortgage  that  he  holds  on  property  in 
Petersham.  Perhaps  you  'd  like  to  look  after  that, 
too." 

"  Petersham  ?  Yes,  I  intend  passing  through 
Petersham.  I  had  my  mare  shod  there  yesterday 
by  an  old  red-headed  pirate  with  a  pretty  red 
headed  daughter,  and  I  want  to  see  her  again. 
If  you  '11  kindly  send  word  to  Piper  to  look  me 
up,  I  '11  see  what  I  can  do  for  him  on  my  way 
out." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Minot,  I  must  be  saying  good 
night,"  said  Ames,  bowing.  "  Are  you  going  with 
me,  Otis?  All  right,  then,  come  along.  Good 
night,  Perry.  Don't  be  infatuated  by  that  red 
headed  girl ; "  and  laughing  merrily  he  and  Otis 
started  away  on  the  road  toward  Boston.  When 
they  were  gone,  Mr.  Minot  said,  — 

"  I  congratulate  you,  Billy,  on  your  courage. 
I  'm  of  your  opinion,  and  that 's  why  I  did  n't  enter 
more  into  the  conversation.  We  all  agree  that 
this  rebellion  must  be  put  down,  but  the  manner 
of  doing  so  is  debatable.  You  must  be  tired,  so 
I  will  allow  you  to  go  to  bed.  Good-night." 
60 


CHAPTER  VI. 

IN  a  back  lane  leading  off  Purchase  Street  in 
Boston,  Jeremiah  Piper,  the  money-lender,  had 
his  shop,  The  wooden  house  was  low  and  un- 
painted,  and  the  frame  of  the  doorway  leaned 
over  to  one  side  as  if,  tired  of  standing  on  both 
feet,  it  were  resting  from  its  hundred  years  of 
labor  in  holding  up  the  rotten  timbers  above. 
There  were  two  rooms  on  the  ground  floor :  that 
fronting  the  street  low  and  dingy,  with  no  other 
furniture  than  a  long  table  covered  with  a  few 
old  watches,  jewelry,  pipes,  knives,  books,  swords, 
pistols,  and  every  description  of  second-hand  ap 
parel  ;  two  wooden  chairs,  whose  legs  seemed  as 
weary  as  the  door-frame  without ;  and  a  greasy, 
wooden  cupboard  with  closed  doors,  which  con 
tained  the  coats  and  small-clothes  of  those  gen 
tlemen  who  were  so  pressed  for  money  that  they 
were  forced  to  part  with  them  until  such  times  as 
their  fortunes  should  turn,  and  they  should  be  able 
6r 


Captain  Shays. 

to  recover  them  —  a  time  which  came  to  few.  The 
rear  room  was  much  like  the  other,  save  that  for 
furniture  it  had  only  a  wooden  desk,  one  chair,  and 
a  row  of  shelves  fastened  to  the  wall,  on  which 
rested  the  ledgers  and  account-books,  together 
v/ith  one  or  two  dusty  law  books  relating  to  mort 
gages  and  debtors  and  creditors.  The  twin  of  the 
front  door  led  to  the  back  yard,  surrounded  by  a 
high  wooden  fence,  and  carpeted  with  weeds  and 
vines  which  vainly  tried  to  climb  about  the  solitary 
pear-tree,  which  looked  weepingly  down  upon  them 
as  if  imploring  them  to  give  it  their  support. 
When,  as  was  his  custom,  Jeremiah  threw  the  rem 
nants  of  his  solitary  meal  out  of  the  window  above, 
there  appeared,  as  by  magic,  as  many  cats  as 
dwell  in  the  Forum  of  Augustus.  Jeremiah  had 
occupied  the  premises  for  over  thirty  years,  and 
it  was  fortunate  that  the  feline  scavengers  went 
about  unmolested,  else  the  filth  and  stench  would 
have  been  even  worse  than  it  was. 

Jeremiah  himself  was  a  fit  companion  for  his 
surroundings.  As  he  stood,  he  was  but  little  over 
five  feet  tall.  Had  he  been  straightened  out  he 
might  have  reached  six  inches  nearer  to  the 
smoked  timbers.  His  black  coat  was  too  long, 
and  mirror-like  between  the  shoulders,  and  his 
brown  small-clothes  were  of  many  shades.  The 
62 


Captain  Shays. 

wig  he  wore  should  have  been  curly  and  white,  and 
probably  had  been  in  years  gone  by,  but  now  it 
was  straight  and  yellow.  His  black  bead-like  eyes 
almost  touched  the  bridge  of  his  suspiciously 
hooked  nose,  and  his  pointed  chin  rubbed  against 
the  white  choker  (white  at  long  intervals)  which 
hid  the  bony  neck,  and  had  hidden  it  for  many  a 
day. 

No  one  knew  of  Jeremiah's  antecedents,  whence 
he  came  or  got  his  name.  (  But  he  was  well  known 
to  a  certain  class,  and  it  was  suspected  by  them 
that  his  face  did  not  belie  his  origin.)  Yet  he 
always  denied  it,  and  said  he  was  of  "good  old 
Puritan  stock,"  and  no  one  could  prove  that  he  told 
aught  but  the  truth  —  at  least  about  this  subject  of 
conjecture.  To  his  clients,  his  neighbors,  and 
their  children,  he  was  known  as  Jerry  the  money 
lender,  and  that  was  all. 

He  was  sitting  before  the  desk  in  the  rear  room, 
with  his  nose  in  close  proximity  to  a  large  book 
which  lay  open  before  him,  and  whose  pages  he 
turned  with  his  moistened  thumb,  at  the  same 
time  running  his  black  finger-nail  down  them  as 
if  in  search  of  something.  Finally  he  raised  his 
finger  from  the  book  to  the  end  of  his  nose  and 
scratched  it  vigorously.  Then  he  looked  toward 
the  front  room  and  called  in  a  nasal  voice,  — 

63 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Samuel,  come  here." 

A  short,  red-faced  man  of  about  fifty,  with  a 
bald  head  and  spectacles,  rolled  into  the  room  and 
stood  before  Jerry. 

"  Samuel,"  said  the  latter,  looking  at  the  clerk 
with  his  little  eyes  and  speaking  with  great  pre 
cision,  "when  do  those  Brown  notes  fall  due?  I 
can't  find  them  here." 

"Which  Brown,  Mr.  Piper?  There 're  three 
Browns  on  our  books." 

"That  Brown  up  in  Petersham,  Samuel.  The 
man  I  went  up  to  see  last  year,  and  got  the  cattle 
and  notes  for  interest  from.  Don't  you  re 
member  ?  " 

"  Ah,  yes,  Mr.  Piper.  Them  fall  due  next  week, 
sir.  Sixth  of  September,  I  think.  You  mean 
them  notes  you  took  last  year,  or  the  mortgage  ?  " 

"  The  notes,  Samuel,  the  notes.  The  mortgage 
don't  expire  for  a  month  yet." 

"Well,  sir,  the  notes  fall  due  the  sixth,  Mr. 
Piper." 

"  Don't  you  enter  them  on  the  books,  Samuel  ? 
I  can't  find  them." 

"  Let  me  look,  sir.  Here  they  are :  one  for  a 
hundred  dollars  payable  in  coin ;  one  for  two  hun 
dred,  payable  in  coin ;  due  September  the  sixth, 
1786." 

64 


Captain  Shays. 

"These  must  be  attended  to  at  once,  Samuel. 
Run  out  and  see  if  that  young  lawyer  Perry  is  in  ; 
Mr.  Ames  has  turned  me  over  to  him.  You  know 
where  to  find  him  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Then  go,  and  come  back  as  quick  as  you  can. 
I  must  see  him  at  once.  And  Samuel,  buy  me 
threepence  worth  of  snuff  on  the  way  back." 

The  man  rolled  out  of  the  door  and  up  the 
street,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight. 

"  If  those  notes  ain't  paid  when  due  I  '11  be 
obliged  to  do  something,"  said  Piper,  with  a 
chuckle,  rising  and  going  into  the  front  room. 
"  I  've  got  that  property,  sure,  for  he  '11  never  be 
able  to  pay  the  mortgage,  and  the  law  '11  have  to 
be  obeyed.  I  'm  sorry,  very  sorry  to  be  obliged 
to  inconvenience  him,  but  I  must  live.  I  guess  this 
young  Perry  's  honest.  I  never  deal  with  any  one 
who  is  n't.  I  must  have  a  man  of  strict  integrity, 
always  strict  integrity,  like  myself,"  and  his  eyes 
snapped  and  he  scratched  the  end  of  his  nose. 

"  I  'm  for  law  and  order,"  he  went  on,  walking 
behind  the  long  table,  and  picking  up  one  article 
after  another  and  examining  them  all  carefully. 
"  No  rebellion,  no  riots.  No  cheating  honest  men 
out  of  their  honest  earnings.  No." 

He  returned  to  the  back  room  and  took  from  a 
5  6 


Captain  Shays. 

shelf  a  worn  three-cornered  hat  and  put  it  on  his 
head.  Then  he  picked  up  a  cane  and  started  out 
into  the  lane,  and  stood  in  front  of  his  door,  peer 
ing  down  toward  the  street. 

"  Ah !  here  he  comes,"  he  said  a  moment  later, 
"  Did  you  find  him,  Samuel  ?  " 

"  He  's  waiting  for  you,  Mr.  Piper." 

"  Very  well.     Be  careful  while  I  'm  gone." 

Jeremiah  Piper  hobbled  out  of  the  lane,  into 
the  street,  and  round  the  corner. 

"  These  are  bad  times,  bad  times,"  he  muttered, 
as  he  approached  the  building  in  which  Perry  had 
his  office.  "  There  was  a  time  when  money  came 
easier,  and  if  I  was  n't  a  prudent  man,  and  saving, 
I  'd  be  as  bad  off  as  some  others.  Coin  is  scarce, 
very  scarce,  but  I'm  saving."  Just  before  he 
rapped  on  the  door,  he  thought,  "  I  '11  test  this 
young  man  a  little  before  I  employ  him." 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Piper,"  said  Perry,  as  the 
money-lender  entered.  "  Mr.  Ames  has  spoken 
to  me  about  your  matter  up  in  Petersham.  I  'm 
going  in  that  direction  in  a  few  days." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  answered  Piper,  rather  shortly,  dis 
appointed  at  not  having  a  chance  at  the  first  word. 
"  Brown,  of  Petersham.  A  very  important  matter, 
sir,  and  one  that  cannot  wait  long.  He  's  a  man  of 
property,  sir,  and  I  've  been  very  lenient  with  him, 
66 


Captain  Shays. 

very  lenient,  and  I  'm  in  hard  straits  for  money, 
sir,  and  cannot  renew  the  loan." 

"  When  do  the  notes  come  due,  Mr.  Piper  ?  " 

"  Next  Friday,  sir." 

"  And  how  are  they  secured  ? " 

"  I  hold  two  mortgages  on  his  property,  sir,  expir 
ing  in  about  a  month.  The  notes  are  given  in 
payment  of  back  interest.  I  'm  never  hard  on  any 
one,  Mr.  Perry,  but  he  must  pay  these  notes  when 
due." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Perry,  fumbling  over  some 
papers  on  his  desk.  "  I  '11  write  him  what  you  say. 
Then  I  '11  try  to  see  him  when  I  go  west.  What 
did  you  say  his  name  was  ?  " 

"  Isaac  Brown.  You  '11  find  him  easily,  near 
the  highway.  Tell  him  when  you  write  that  the 
notes  must  be  paid  at  once.  I  'm  a  poor  man,  Mr. 
Perry,  and  I  hope  your  fees  won't  be  large." 

"We'll  arrange  all  that  later,"  said  William, 
with  an  amused  smile.  "  Have  you  the  notes 
with  you  ? " 

"  Here  they  are,  sir.  Kindly  give  me  a  receipt 
for  them,  for  the  people  are  excited,  and  you  might 
come  to  some  harm,  and  of  course  I  must  be  pro 
tected.  Thank  you.  Keep  them  in  a  safe  place, 
Mr.  Perry." 

"Have  no  anxiety,  Mr.  Piper.  I've  many  of 
67 


Captain  Shays. 

these  cases  on   hand,  and   I  'm  careful.     I   have 
your  address,  and  will  let  you  know  what  I  learn." 

"  Thank  you,  sir.  Anything  more  you  wish  to 
know  ? " 

"  No,  not  at  present.  The  notes  are  sufficient. 
Good-morning." 

As  Piper  went  back  toward  his  shop  he 
muttered,  — 

"  I  guess  he  's  honest.  He  's  a  good  reputation, 
and  is  making  a  name  for  himself,  and  we  have 
to  take  some  risks." 

As  he  entered  his  door,  he  noticed  a  rumbling 
sound,  and  looking  about  him  saw  Samuel  asleep 
in  a  chair  in  the  corner. 

"  Wake  up,  Samuel,"  he  squeaked,  going  up  to 
him  and  giving  him  a  poke  with  his  cane.  "  I  '11 
be  robbed  of  everything  if  you  do  like  this.  Oh, 
the  smell  of  beer !  You  're  doing  this  all  the  time 
now,  and  I  '11  have  to  be  rid  of  you  if  you  don't 
look  after  my  property  when  I  'm  away." 

Samuel  woke  slowly  and  turned  his  little  red 
eyes  on  his  master  with  a  grin. 

",  Who  '11  you  get  to  take  my  place,  Mr.  Piper  ? 
I  'm  pretty  well  acquainted  with  your  business, 
and  it 's  been  a  hard  lesson  to  learn.  I  was  n't 
asleep.  I  had  an  eye  open,  sir,  and  I  was  watch 
ing  carefully." 

68 


Captain  Shays. 

"  You  were  n't  asleep,  Samuel  ?  Well,  mend 
your  ways  a  little,  and  I'll  try  to  keep  you,  but 
I  'm  losing  money  now,  and  can't  afford  to  take 
any  risks.  I  'm  going  up-stairs  to  eat  my  dinner, 
so  stop  that  blinking  and  wake  up." 

Jeremiah  threw  his  hat  upon  the  shelf,  put  his 
cane  in  its  accustomed  corner,  and  climbed  the 
rickety  flight  of  stairs  to  his  room  above.  He 
went  to  a  small  cupboard  and  took  from  it  a  very 
much  soiled  paper  package,  which  he  placed  upon 
the  greasy  topped  wooden  table.  Then  he  drew  up 
the  only  chair,  and  undoing  the  package  took 
from  it  a  piece  of  high  flavored,  highly  animated 
cheese,  a  cube  of  bread,  and  a  dried  herring. 
This  was  his  dinner.  When  he  had  finished  he 
went  to  the  window,  the  presence  of  which  would 
have  been  scarcely  perceptible  to  a  stranger, 
because  of  the  thick  covering  of  dirt  upon  the 
panes,  and  threw  the  scraps  into  the  yard.  There 
was  the  sudden  sound  of  music,  and  cats  appeared 
from  every  direction,  to  share  the  frugal  repast. 

Returning  to  the  middle  of  the  room,  Jeremiah 
listened,  and  hearing  no  other  sound  than  the 
snoring  of  Samuel  below,  stepped  forward  and 
bolted  the  door.  He  then  crossed  on  tiptoe  to  a 
spot  near  the  chimney-piece,  stopped,  and  listened 
again.  He  stooped  down,  and  lifting  a  plank 


Captain  Shays. 

in  the  floor,  drew  out  from  beneath  it  an  iron 
box.  It  was  filled  with  British,  Spanish,  and 
French  coin,  and  papers.  He  placed  Perry's 
receipts  in  it,  put  it  back  in  its  place,  covered  it 
with  the  plank,  crossed  the  room,  and  went  down 
stairs. 


70 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THREE  days  after  Jerry  Piper's  interview  with 
William  Perry,  Deacon  Isaac  Brown  stood  at 
the  smithy  door,  looking  out  over  the  fields  toward 
the  hills,  where  a  bit  of  color  here  and  there 
already  showed  that  summer  was  passing,  and  that 
preparations  for  winter  would  soon  have  to  be 
begun.  His  face  was  haggard  and  drawn ;  he 
passed  his  right  hand  over  his  head  and  eyes,  and 
drew  a  deep  sigh.  In  his  left  he  held  a  letter.  It 
was  evident  that  he  had  read  it  already  once  at 
least,  and  that  the  news  it  brought  was  not  cheer 
ing.  He  folded  the  paper,  put  it  in  his  pocket, 
turned  and  went  back  into  the  shop. 

"  Jimmy,"  he  said  to  his  son,  who  was  working 
at  the  bench,  "  it 's  near  dinner  time.  Ye  may  go 
now.  I  sha'n't  go  up  to-day,  for  I  Ve  got  some 
thing  to  do  here.  Bring  me  down  a  bite  when  ye 
come  back." 

71 


Captain  Shays. 

"  All  right,  father,"  answered  his  son,  "  if 
Bill  Smyth  comes  along,  give  him  them  shears. 
They're  all  fixed." 

Deacon  Brown  went  to  the  door  and  watched  his 
son  until  he  was  turning  the  corner,  then  went  back, 
sat  down  on  a  stool,  and  took  the  letter  from  his 
pocket.  He  held  it  at  arm's  length  and  examined 
it,  then  read  it  half  aloud. 

Mr.  ISAAC  BROWN,  Petersham. 

DEAR   SIR,  —  Two  notes  bearing  date  6th  September, 
1785,  made  to  Mr.  Jeremiah  Piper,  Boston,  have  been   left 
with  me  for  collection.     I  must  request  payment  when  due. 
Your  obedient  servant, 

WM.  PERRY. 

Brown  read  it  twice,  then  let  his  hand  drop  on 
his  knee,  gazed  out  through  the  door,  and  thought. 
At  last  he  roused  himself,  got  up,  went  to  the 
little  window,  and  looked  over  the  mowing  toward 
the  barn  and  house. 

"  I  've  worked  hard  for  them  little  ones,"  he 
thought  with  a  sigh,  "  but  it's  getting  too  much  for 
me.  Ruth 's  beginning  to  suspect  something,  and 
I  can't  keep  it  from  her  much  longer.  Well,  I  've 
done  my  best."  He  sighed  heavily  and  passed  his 
bare  arm  across  his  brow,  then  went  on,  "  To 
think  of  them  fields  and  house  and  all  going  to 
72 


Captain  Shays. 

that  'ere  old  thieving  money-lender.  I  can't  and 
won't  have  it.  Three  hundred  dollars !  Where 
can  I  get  'em  ?  Due  day  after  to-morrow,  and  he 
won't  give  me  no  more  time.  There  's  the  mare, 
the  cow,  the  two  hogs,  the  cart  and  tools.  But  I 
can't  live  if  I  let  'em  all  go."  He  paused  a  moment, 
and  then  raised  the  letter,  and  read  it  again. 
"William  Perry.  What's  he  got  to  do  with  it, 
anyhow?  One  of  them  damned  lawyers  that's 
a  robbing  of  us  all,  and  the  other  fellows  too. 
He  can't  do  nothing,  for  the  courts  '11  be  done 
their  dirty  business  before  many  days,  and  them 
lawyers  and  judges  won't  have  nothing  to  say 
about  us.  I  '11  tell  'em  I  can't  pay  now,  and  I 
won't,  until  the  government  gives  us  something  to 
pay  with.  I  won't  take  no  notice  of  'em."  For  a 
few  minutes  he  felt  brighter,  and  the  furrow  be 
tween  his  brows  smoothed  out  a  little.  It  did  not 
last  long,  however,  and  the  anxious  expression 
soon  returned.  "  I  dunno,  tho',"  he  muttered, 
rising  and  going  outside  the  door  again,  "  they  Ve 
made  a  good  many  of  'em  pay,  and  some  as 
have  n't  been  able  have  gone  to  prison.  Perhaps 
he  '11  take  the  cart  and  tools,  and  wait  a  bit  longer. 
I  dunno."  He  crammed  the  letter  into  his  pocket, 
and  then  went  on.  "  Let 's  see  what  I  Ve  got. 
Twenty-seven  dollars;  the  two  hogs  that  can  be 
73 


Captain  Shays. 

salted  down  for  winter;  the  cow,  and  then  the 
hens.  I  forgot  the  hens,  but  they  won't  lay  any  in 
winter.  Well,  never  mind.  I  '11  wait,  and  perhaps 
we'll  pull  through  somehow." 

Just  then  he  heard  a  sound,  and  looking  round 
saw  Ruth  coming  toward  him. 

"What  are  ye  doing  here,  girl?"  he  said  on 
seeing  her.  "I  told  Jimmy  to  bring  me  a  bite 
when  he  come  back,  and  ye  Ve  got  it  yourself." 

"  I  thought  I  'd  like  to  fetch  it  myself,  father," 
said  Ruth,  quietly.  "  Jimmy 's  busy  up  to  the  barn, 
and  could  n't  leave.  Sit  down  and  eat  it,  and  I  '11 
stay  with  you." 

"What's  he  doing  up  to  the  barn,  Ruth? 
There 's  work  for  him  here,  and  I  told  him  to  come 
back.  When  I  was  a  boy  I  did  as  my  father  told 
me  to  do." 

"  He  's  doing  something  for  me,  so  don't  blame 
him.  I  want  to  speak  to  you,  father.  Jimmy  told 
me  that  you  got  a  letter  this  morning,  and  that 
you've  been  reading  and  reading  it,  and  fretting 
about  it.  I  came  down  to  ask  you  what  it  is 
about." 

Deacon  Brown  turned  away  his  head,  and  looked 
out  of  the  door.  Then  he  said  quickly, — 

"  I  ain't  had  no  letter,  Ruth,  and  Jimmy  's  no 
business  to  be  telling  ye  such  lies." 
74 


Captain  Shays. 

"Are  you  sure,  father?  When  I  came  down 
the  hill  I  saw  something  in  your  hand  that  looked 
like  a  piece  of  paper.  Don't  keep  it  from  me, 
father.  Tell  me  what  it  is." 

"Can't  I  have  a  piece  of  paper  in  my  hand 
without  its  being  a  letter,  girl  ?  "  said  her  father, 
moving  nervously.  "  Ain't  I  to  be  allowed  to  do 
as  I  like  ?  " 

"  You  're  keeping  something  from  me,  father," 
said  Ruth,  gently,  going  up  to  him  and  taking  his 
hand.  "  Tell  me  what  the  letter  's  about." 

"Supposing  I  have  got  a  letter,"  said  Brown, 
turning  away  his  head,  "  ain't  that  my  business  ? 
Can't  I  have  a  letter  without  all  this  fuss  ?  Go 
back  to  the  house,  Ruth,  and  send  Jimmy  down 
here.  I  want  to  talk  to  him.  Let  me  be." 

Ruth  still  held  his  hand. 

"  Father,"  she  said,  going  in  front  of  him  and 
looking  him  in  the  face,  "you  have  got  a  letter 
this  morning  and  it 's  fretting  you.  It 's  got  some 
thing  to  do  with  that  man  who  came  up  last  year 
about  the  cattle,  and  if  you  don't  tell  me  about  it, 
I  '11  find  out  some  way.  You  've  worked  hard  and 
done  everything  for  Jimmy  and  me,  and  now  I 
want  to  do  something  for  you.  I  know  all  about 
the  troubles  that  are  going  on,  and  I  want  to  help 
you." 

75 


Captain  Shays. 

Deacon  Brown  looked  at  his  daughter,  and  his 
eyes  moistened. 

"  I  see  it  ain't  no  use,  Ruth  dear,"  he  said  with 
a  sigh,  "  a-trying  to  deceive  ye.  I  hoped  to  keep 
it  from  ye  till  times  were  better,  but  it  ain't  no  use. 
Yes,  Ruth,  I  Ve  had  a  letter  from  a  lawyer  to-day, 
and  he  wants  me  to  pay  three  hundred  dollars 
before  Friday.  I  ain't  got  it,  Ruth,  and  God  only 
knows  how  I  can  get  it.  But  I  won't  pay  it  to  no 
lawyer,"  he  added,  rousing  himself  and  passing  his 
hand  across  his  eyes.  "It  lies  betwixt  me  and 
Piper." 

"Who's  Piper,  father?  The  man  who  was 
here?" 

"Yes.  Jenks  told  me  about  him.  Said  he'd 
borrowed  money  of  him,  and  found  him  honest. 
Perhaps  he  won't  press  me  after  all,  so  don't 
worry,  Ruth.  When  Dan  Shays  gets  started, 
he  '11  straighten  things  out  a  bit.  Now  run  back 
to  the  house,  and  don't  think  no  more  about  it.  I 
did  n't  mean  to  tell  ye,  but  ye  've  got  the  best  of 
me,  as  ye  always  do." 

He  took  the  girl's  face  in  his  two  clumsy  hands, 
and  kissed  it. 

"  Send  Jimmy  down." 

"  Don't  scold  him  for  telling  me,  father.  He 
meant  all  right." 

76 


Captain  Shays. 

11  No,  Ruth,  I  won't  say  nothing  to  him,  but 
I  'd  like  to  give  him  a  beating.  He 's  too  meddle 
some." 

When  Ruth  was  gone,  Deacon  Brown  went  to 
the  door  and  watched  her. 

"A  mighty  good  girl,"  he  mused,  looking  lov 
ingly  after  her.  "  Well,  I  dunno  but  it 's  best  she 
should  know.  It  kind  of  eases  my  mind  to  have 
told  her.  What 's  the  use  of  worrying  so  much 
anyway  ?  "  he  went  on,  going  back  into  the  shop 
and  beginning  to  blow  the  bellows.  "  If  I  can't 
pay  I  can't,  and  I  '11  tell  'em  so.  There  ain't  no 
body  paying  nothing  now,  and  there  ain't  nothing 
to  pay  nobody  with,  and  I  guess  old  Piper  '11  have 
to  stand  it  'long  with  the  rest  of  the  thieves. 
Gosh,  I  feel  really  better.  For  a  spell  I  felt  as 
though  the  bottom  had  dropped  out  of  everything, 
but  the  sight  and  talk  of  that  girl  would  cure  the 
small-pox.  If  that  lawyer  shows  his  face  up  here 
I  '11  fix  him,"  and  he  began  to  laugh  nervously. 

"  Well,  well,  to  think  of  my  fretting  about  pay 
ing.  Here,  Jimmy,  why  did  n't  ye  come  down  as  I 
told  ye  to  ?  Do  ye  think  I  can  blow  and  work 
at  the  same  time  ?  Get  to  work,  boy,  and  don't 
take  so  long  about  your  dinner  next  time.  When 
I  was  your  age  I  'd  take  five  minutes  for  dinner. 
Wake  up  and  blow  the  bellows." 
77 


Captain  Shays. 

Jimmy  went  to  work,  and  it  was  some  time  be 
fore  either  spoke.  Then  the  son  said,  — 

"  Heard  the  news,  father  ?  I  see  Abe  Morse 
this '  noon,  and  he  says  Captain  Shays  is  getting 
men  together  near  Pelham,  and  is  going  to  march 
to  Springfield  to  stop  the  court  from  setting.  Abe 
says  he 's  a-going  with  'em,  and  wants  me  to  go 
too." 

"  Well,  why  don't  ye,  then,  Jimmy  ?  Perhaps 
it  '11  put  some  life  into  ye  to  hear  the  bullets  whizz 
ing.  I  'd  go  myself  if  it  was  n't  for  leaving  Ruth 
alone.  It's  a  good  cause,  Jimmy,  and  if  they 
need  ye,  go." 

"  I  kind  of  thought  ye  'd  want  me  to  stay  here 
and  help  ye  with  the  work,"  answered  his  son.  "  I 
ain't  particular  about  going,  and  I  'd  as  lief  stay 
here  with  you." 

"  Well,  I  had  n't  as  lief  have  ye,"  said  Deacon 
Brown,  throwing  down  his  hammer  and  looking 
across  at  his  son  with  a  scowl.  "  In  the  first  place 
there  ain't  enough  work  for  us  both  here  now,  and 
then  again  I  don't  want  any  of  my  blood  to  be 
afeard  of  fighting  for  his  rights,  and  that 's  what 's 
ailing  ye  !  If  ye  had  half  the  pluck  of  your  sister, 
you  'd  be  a  man  by  this  time,  instead  of  a  shiftless 
blockhead.  Ye  're  going  along  with  Abe,  so  make 
up  your  mind  to  it.  When  does  he  start? " 

78 


Captain  Shays. 

"  This  afternoon,  father.  He 's  going  to  New 
Salem  and  Pelham,  and  then  on.  But  I  'd  rather 
stay  to  home." 

"  I  ain't  got  no  doubt  ye  would,"  said  his  father, 
"but  ye '11  go  up  to  the  house  and  get  that  'ere 
musket  of  mine,  and  sech  other  things  as  ye  want 
to  carry,  and  go  up  to  Abe's  and  start  with  him. 
I  Ve  got  business  to  do  here,  so  go  along." 

"  Who  '11  ye  get  to  pump  the  bellows  ?  "  asked 
Jimmy,  grasping  at  a  last  straw. 

"  Don't  ye  fret  about  that.  Jest  ye  do  what  I 
tell  ye.  Good-bye.  Tell  Ruth  I  '11  be  home  to 
supper  early." 

Jimmy  picked  up  his  coat,  and  went  out  of  the 
shop  and  up  to  the  house  without  another 
word. 

"  Now  I  '11  be  able  to  attend  to  my  own  business 
without  any  meddling,"  thought  Deacon  Brown, 
after  his  son  was  gone.  "  It 's  my  duty  to  send 
him,  too.  I  '11  go  myself  later  if  they  need  me, 
but  I  Ve  got  to  wait  until  after  them  notes  and 
mortgages  comes  due,  and  I  can't  leave  Ruth. 
Them  notes  and  mortgages  !  I  'd  almost  forgotten 
about  'em  since  Ruth  was  here.  Well,"  and  he 
stopped  suddenly  in  his  work  and  his  face  grew 
serious,  "  supposing  after  all  —  supposing  after  all 
—  why,  I  feel  kind  of  dizzy.  I  ain't  never  felt 
79 


Captain  Shays. 

jest  this  way  before.  Guess  I  '11  run  down  to 
the  trough  and  get  a  drink.  Well,  what  was  I  a- 
saying?  Oh,  yes,  them  mortgages  and  notes. 
Gosh,  ain't  it  hot  in  the  shop  to-day,  and  ain't 
this  hammer  heavy!  Let's  see;  them  notes  — 
I  can't  seem  to  think  straight." 

He  reeled  out  of  the  door  and  down  to  the 
watering-trough,  and  bathed  his  face,  and  drank. 

"  Now  I  feel  better,"  he  said,  as  he  went  back 
toward  the  shop.  "  I  guess  I  did  n't  eat  enough 
dinner.  But  Ruth  '11  have  a  good  supper  early. 
I  do  feel  awful  weak  in  the  legs,  and  can't  hardly 
walk,  but  it'll  pass  off.  Perhaps  it's  keeping 
them  things  on  my  mind  so  long,  and  then  throw 
ing  'em  off  all  of  a  sudden.  I  can't  see  how  any 
body  can  be  obliged  to  pay  when  they  ain't  got 
nothing." 

He  picked  up  the  hammer  again,  but  was  too 
weak  to  wield  it.  Then  he  took  his  coat  over  his 
arm,  went  out,  locked  the  door  of  the  smithy, 
and  with  a  tottering  step  walked  round  the  road 
toward  the  house.  As  he  strolled  leisurely  along, 
he  began  to  feel  better,  and  by  the  time  he  reached 
the  shed  he  was  himself  again,  though  he  looked 
weary. 

"  Is  Jimmy  gone  ? "  he  said  to  Ruth,  as  he  en 
tered  the  kitchen. 

80 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Yes,  father,"  answered  his  daughter,  "  he  's 
gone,  and  I  'm  feeling  real  bad  to  have  him  go. 
Do  you  think  he  '11  get  hurt,  father?  " 

"  Pshaw,  girl.  Don't  worry  about  that.  Jimmy 
ain't  the  kind  that  '11  get  hurt  if  he  can  help  it. 
Give  me  supper.  I  'm  kind  of  tired  and  hungry." 


81 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

UTH,"  said  Deacon  Brown  to  his  daughter, 
as  he  sat  watching  her  clearing  the  table 
after  supper,  "  I  no  business  to  a-told  ye  what  I 
did,  this  afternoon,  but  when  ye  came  and  looked 
at  me  and  I  got  your  expression,  I  knew  ye  had 
guessed  my  secret,  and  I  could  n't  keep  it  back. 
Ye  ain't  fretting  about  it,  are  ye,  child?" 

"  No,"  answered  Ruth,  looking  round  at  him 
with  a  smile,  "  I  'm  not  fretting,  unless  you  are, 
father.  All  that  troubles  me  is  to  see  you  so  wor 
ried  and  tired  looking.  I  feel  much  better  now 
that  you  've  told  me  about  it,  and  I  '11  try  to  look 
after  you  a  little  better.  Won't  you  tell  me  how 
all  this  trouble  came  on,  and  why  we  're  made  to 
have  such  a  hard  time  of  it  ?  " 

Her  father  hesitated,  and  for  a  few  moments  sat 
gazing  through  the  window  toward  the  blueberry 
patch.  At  last  he  roused  himself,  and  turning  to 
Ruth  said,  — 

82 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  dunno  as  it  '11  do  any  hurt  to  tell  ye,  Ruth, 
and  I  Ve  kept  it  all  bottled  up  so  long  that  it 's 
trying  to  burst  through  my  skin.  It 's  like  the 
measles,  better  when  it 's  broke  out.  Well,  ye  can 
remember  something  of  the  war,  girl,  for  ye  were 
seven  years  old  when  we'  whipped  the  red-coats  at 
Lexington.  But  ye  never  knew  nothing  about 
what  brought  it  on,  and  why  we  fought  so  hard. 
I  '11  tell  ye  if  ye  'd  like  to  hear  it." 

"  I  Ve  finished  my  work  now,  and  I  '11  sit  down 
and  listen  to  you,"  said  Ruth,  wiping  her  hands, 
and  drawing  a  chair  close  to  her  father.  "  All  I 
know  is  that  the  British  wouldn't  give  us  our 
rights,  and  we  drove  'em  out  of  the  country,  and 
got  our  freedom." 

Deacon  Brown  shook  his  head  slowly,  and 
said, — 

"  Yes,  Ruth,  we  drove  'em  away,  and  got  the 
country  from  'em,  but  God  knows  we  ain't  got  our 
freedom  yet.  Perhaps  some  of  those  rich  men 
down  in  Boston  have  got  it,  but  we  ain't,  and  don't 
seem  likely  to.  We  are  more  slaves  than  before 
the  war,  Ruth,  and  I  sometimes  wish  we  'd  never 
gone  through  it." 

"Is  everybody  as  badly  off  as  we  are  ?  "  asked 
Ruth,  looking  up  at  him  in  surprise. 

"  Most  everybody,  at  least  them  as  has  to  earn 

83 


Captain  Shays. 

their  living  with  their  own  hands.  We  farmers 
and  working  people  are  at  the  mercy  of  the  rich 
folks,  the  merchants  and  lawyers,  who  never  did 
no  work,  but  sit  and  drink  and  gamble  all  day  and 
all  night.  No,  Ruth,  we  ain't  got  our  freedom 
yet." 

He  paused  and  drew  a  long  sigh,  then  went 
on, — 

"  I  was  going  to  tell  ye  how  it  all  happened,  and 
why  things  is  as  they  are.  It  was  this  way.  Let 
me  have  a  drink  of  water  first,  for  my  mouth  's 
kind  of  dry.  Now  I  '11  tell  ye.  When  I  was  a 
boy  we  was  living  along  here  pretty  comfortable, 
and  the  farm  and  forge  was  paying  well.  Of 
course  we  had  our  bad  years  like  all  of  'em,  but 
we  had  plenty  to  eat  and  plenty  to  wear,  and  we 
never  worried  much  about  nothing.  Your  grand 
father  was  a  hard-working  man,  and  brought  us  all 
up  to  do  as  he  done.  We  lived  along  from  day  to 
day,  and  thought  of  nothing  but  our  work  and  the 
Lord.  Nobody  heard  no  grumbling  up  this  way, 
though  things  was  n't  always  easy,  and  after  Louis- 
burg  taxes  was  heavy  ;  but  we  remained  good  sub 
jects  of  the  king,  and  went  on  same  as  before.  It 
was  n't  until  along  in  the  sixties  that  the  rum 
blings  of  revolution  which  had  started  in  Boston 
reached  us  up  here  in  the  hills.  The  king  and  his 
84 


Captain  Shays. 

Parliament  had  begun  to  put  on  their  extra  taxes, 
and  we  had  begun  to  feel  it.  That,  so  far  as  we 
was  concerned,  was  the  beginning  of  the  Revolu 
tion.  So  it  went  on  until  them  good  men  down  in 
Boston  threw  the  tea  overboard  rather  'n  pay  the 
tax  on  it. 

"  I  was  a-working  in  the  forge  one  day,  a-hum- 
ming  that  hymn  of  Watts's,  when  Josh  Morse, 
Abe's  father,  came  running  up  to  the  shop  and 
said  that  there  'd  been  a  fight  with  the  British  sol 
diers  at  Lexington,  and  all  the  farmers  was  taking 
up  arms  to  defend  their  rights.  I  was  struck 
dumb,  for  I  had  n't  no  idea  that  war  was  really 
coming.  I  threw  down  the  hammer  and  ran  up  to 
the  house,  took  father's  old  musket  and  sword, 
and  in  the  afternoon  said  good-bye  to  your  mother 
and  ye  and  Jimmy  and  jumped  on  the  horse's  back 
and  started  south.  Ye  know  all  about  that  war, 
Ruth,  and  how  it  killed  your  mother,  and  came 
nigh  killing  me." 

Deacon  Brown  stopped  and  passed  the  back  of 
his  hand  across  his  eyes,  then  after  a  moment 
continued,  — 

"  Well,  it  ain't  no  use  crying  about  them  things 
now.  It  was  God's  will,  and  I  Ve  stood  it  the 
best  I  knew  how.  After  all  these  troubles  was 
past  I  began  work  again  with  a  light  heart, 

85 


Captain  Shays. 

thinking  that  everything  'd  turn  out  all  right,  and 
that  the  farm  and  shop  would  make  my  fortune, 
and  that  ye  and  Jimmy  would  be  well  cared  for 
when  I  was  gone.  Somehow  things  did  n't  go  on 
as  I  expected,  and  it  wa'n't  long  before  I  see  that 
our  dream  of  a  free  country  had  n't  been  nothing 
but  a  dream,  and  I  was  beginning  to  wake  up. 
Instead  of  improving,  business  grew  worse  and 
worse,  and  we  couldn't  sell  nothing,  and  taxes 
grew  bigger.  In  '83  they  put  on  the  tax  for  sup 
porting  the  army,  and  giving  them  lazy  officers 
that  never  done  no  work  gold  lace  and  fine  clothes. 
This  riled  us  farmers,  and  for  a  time  there  was 
signs  of  trouble,  but  we  stood  things  as  best  we 
could.  At  last  the  money  give  out,  and  we  could  n't 
get  no  pay  for  our  work  or  our  goods,  and  then, 
last  summer,  we  petitioned  the  General  Court  to 
give  us  some  kind  of  money,  paper  or  anything, 
but  they  refused.  The  thing  has  come  to  a  head 
now,  Ruth,  and  it  '11  soon  burst." 

"  What  have  you  got  to  borrow  so  much  money 
for,  anyway  ?  "  asked  Ruth,  when  he  had  stopped. 

"  For  taxes  mostly.  But  I  've  got  to  live  and 
work  the  farm  and  forge,  and  it  all  costs  money." 

"Why  didn't  you  borrow  it  of  some  one  you 
knew  here,  father  ?  " 

"Because  none  of  'em  ain't  got  any  money, 
86 


Captain  Shays. 

Ruth.  The  money  's  all  in  Boston,  and  I  had  to 
go  there.  I  heard  of  a  man  named  Piper  who  had 
loaned  to  folks  about  here,  and  I  went  down  to  see 
him,  and  he  let  me  have  what  I  wanted.  When 
the  interest  come  due  he  come  up  here,  and  I 
could  n't  pay  it,  so  I  gave  him  the  cows,  and  a 
new  note,  and  he  let  me  have  fifty  dollars  more. 
He 's  seemed  kind  of  accommodating,  and  I  guess 
if  it  was  n't  for  that  rascally  lawyer  he  'd  let  it  stand 
a  little  longer.  This  Piper  was  a  kind  of  poor- 
looking  man,  and  I  guess  he  was  doing  it  more  to 
help  than  anything.  But  the  lawyer  '11  skin  both 
of  us,  and  I  won't  have  nothing  to  do  with  him. 
I  Ve  always  paid  my  just  debts,  and  I  '11  pay  him 
when  I  can,  but  I  can't  now,  and  he  knows  it." 

Ruth  sat  a  moment  without  speaking.  All  that 
her  father  had  been  telling  her  was  so  unexpected 
that  she  scarcely  knew  what  to  say.  She  had  felt 
for  some  time  that  he  was  troubled  about  money  ; 
but  brought  up  as  she  had  been  in  the  little  New 
England  town,  so  far  away  from  people,  she  had 
not  grasped  the  seriousness  of  it  all,  and  it  had 
made  but  a  vague  impression  upon  her.  Money 
had  no  special  meaning  for  her,  except  as  some 
thing  her  father  occasionally  received  for  his  work, 
or  gave  to  her  to  buy  some  little  thing  at  the 
village  store.  There  was  very  little  of  it  seen  on 


Captain  Shays. 

the  Petersham  farm.  To  be  sure,  the  young  man 
who  had  had  his  mare  shod  paid  in  silver  shillings, 
but  aside  from  that  Ruth  had  seen  nothing  of 
the  kind  for  many  a  day.  After  thinking  a  few 
minutes,  she  said  to  her  father  gently,  — 

"  Could  n't  I  earn  some  money  for  you,  father  ? 
I  'm  strong,  and  can  work." 

"  Ye  're  a  dear  good  girl,  as  I  've  told  ye  be 
fore,"  said  her  father,  affectionately,  "  but  I  need 
ye  to  help  me  here.  No,  Ruth,  I  '11  go  on  as  I 
have  done,  and  I  '11  take  care  of  ye  a  spell  yet." 

"Father,"  said  Ruth,  suddenly,  "why  did  you 
send  Jimmy  off  in  such  a  hurry  ?  I  don't  like  to 
have  him  go  to  fighting." 

"  I  'd  two  or  three  reasons  for  sending  him, 
Ruth.  Jimmy's  my  boy  and  your  brother,  but 
he 's  shiftless  and  lazy,  and  I  want  to  make  a 
man  of  him.  Don't  fret  about  him.  It  '11  do  him 
good.  Then  it's  his  duty  to  fight  for  his  rights, 
and  I  couldn't  leave  ye  with  nobody  but  him  to 
look  after  ye.  Besides  this,  he  '11  be  cared  for, 
and  it  '11  be  one  less  mouth  to  feed.  I  'm  feeling  a 
little  tired  to-night  and  guess  I  '11  go  to  bed  early. 
My  head  feels  kind  of  dizzy  with  all  them  things 
coming  out  of  it,  but  it 's  done  me  a  deal  of  good, 
and  God  knows  what  I  'd  do  without  ye,  Ruth 
dear." 

88 


Captain  Shays. 

"  You  do  look  pale  and  tired,  father,"  said  Ruth, 
shaking  her  head.  "  I  '11  get  your  bed  ready  for 
you  and  put  the  candle  in  your  room."  She  ran 
out  of  the  kitchen.  When  she  was  gone,  Deacon 
Brown  passed  his  hand  over  his  face  and  eyes 
again,  down  into  his  pocket,  and  drew  out  William 
Perry's  letter.  He  held  it  before  the  candle  and 
tried  to  read  it,  but  his  eyes  seemed  dim,  and  he 
snuffed  the  candle.  Then  he  passed  his  hand 
over  his  eyes  again,  and  said, — 

"Strange,  I  can't  seem  to  read  it.  My  head 
ain't  feeling  jest  right,  but  I  guess  it  '11  pass  off. 
How  my  hand  trembles !  Well,  I  '11  go  to  bed,  and 
won't  tell  Ruth,  for  it  '11  worry  her." 

He  got  up  and  his  legs  gave  way  under  him  and 
he  sank  back  again.  Just  then  Ruth  came  into 
the  room. 

"  Your  bed  's  all  ready,  father,"  she  said.  Then 
looking  at  him  anxiously,  she  went  on,  — 

"  You  're  not  well,  and  you  must  rest.  Stay  in 
bed  in  the  morning  and  I  '11  bring  in  your  break 
fast.  Do  you  want  me  to  help  you?  " 

"  I  do  feel  kind  of  queer,  that 's  a  fact,"  said  her 
father,  getting  up  with  an  effort,  "  but  I  '11  be  all 
right  in  the  morning.  Good-night." 

When  Deacon  Brown  had  gone,  Ruth  went  out 
to  the  shed  door  and  looked  across  to  the  barn, 


Captain  Shays. 

then  up  and  down  the  narrow  road.  She  did  not 
know  what  she  could  do  to  save  her  father,  but 
she  felt  that  she  must  do  something,  and  that 
quickly,  for  she  saw  clearly  that  the  strain  was 
breaking  him  down,  and  that  it  would  soon  be  too 
late.  She  wondered  what  she  could  do.  The  stars 
were  shining  bright  in  the  September  sky,  and  she 
crossed  the  road  to  the  stone  wall  and  leaned 
against  it.  A  whip-poor-will  was  singing  down  by 
the  brook  below  the  mowing,  clear  and  piercing 
through  the  night  air.  Ruth  had  always  loved 
the  note  before,  but  now  it  grated  on  her  ears,  and 
sounded  like  a  note  of  warning.  If  only  Abe 
Morse  were  at  home  she  would  go  to  him,  but 
she  knew  that  he  and  Jimmy  must  be  far  over  the 
hills  toward  Pelham  by  this  time,  and  she  was 
in  despair.  It  was  Wednesday,  and  her  father 
had  told  her  that  he  must  have  the  money  by 
Friday.  Suddenly  an  idea  struck  her.  If  she 
could  only  find  that  young  gentleman  who  had 
given  her  father  those  silver  shillings,  she  was 
sure  he  would  help  her.  He  had  seemed  so  cheer 
ful  and  bright  and  kind-hearted  when  he  had 
spoken  to  her.  He  had  told  her  that  he  lived  in 
Boston,  although  not  his  name,  but  she  would 
know  him  were  she  to  see  him.  She  would  ask 
her  father  to  let  her  go  to  Boston,  and  she  would 
90 


Captain  Shays. 

try  to  find  him.  All  these  thoughts  passed  through 
her  mind  rapidly,  and  as  rapidly  others  came,  and 
she  saw  how  impossible  it  would  all  be,  and  that 
she  could  not  leave  her  father  alone,  especially 
when  he  was  so  careworn  and  worried.  At  last, 
tired  and  discouraged,  she  went  back  to  the  house, 
locked  the  shed  door,  and  crept  quietly  up  to 
her  room.  She  set  the  candle  down  on  the  table 
and  looked  about.  On  the  mantel  was  a  picture 
of  her  mother;  on  the  table  by  her  a  Bible  and 
a  book  of  poetry  which  her  father  had  given 
her  when  she  was  a  little  girl.  She  sighed,  and 
the  tears  came  to  her  eyes. 

"  I  have  n't  anything  that  I  can  get  money  for," 
she  thought,  as  she  raised  the  Bible  and  opened 
it.  She  read  her  chapter,  as  was  her  custom  ; 
kneeled  down  before  the  chair  and  prayed ;  then 
undressed  and  went  to  bed. 

As  she  lay  there  she  could  hear  the  note  of  the 
whip-poor-will  down  in  the  valley.  At  last  it  grew 
fainter  and  fainter,  until  it  died  away  entirely,  and 
Ruth  was  asleep,  dreaming  of  her  father. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

NOT  long  after  Jerry  Piper  left  William  Perry 
in  his  office,  a  young  man  burst  in  on  him 
with  a  cheerful  good-morning,  and  took  him  by  the 
hand.  It  was  Fisher  Ames,  his  handsome  face 
dimpled  with  a  bright  smile,  and  his  full,  deep  eyes 
wearing  an  expression  of  intellect  and  honest  good 
nature.  At  this  time  Fisher  Ames  was  in  his 
twenty-ninth  year,  and  his  erect,  graceful  figure, 
his  massive  forehead,  and  clean-cut  features  be 
trayed  youthful  activity  of  body  and  mind.  He 
was  already  becoming  famous  both  at  the  bar  and 
in  the  forum,  and  it  was  apparent  to  those  who 
knew  him  that  his  career  was  but  beginning,  and 
that  with  longer  life  he  was  destined  to  be  a  leader 
among  his  fellows. 

"  Good-morning,"  said  Perry,  in  answer  to  Ames* 
salutation.  "  You  've  just  missed  your  old  friend 
Jerry.  I  congratulate  you  on  him.  He  's  a  beau 
tiful  specimen  of  our  enfranchised  people,"  and  he 
laughed. 

92 


Captain  Shays. 

"  He  's  an  old  rascal,  I  Ve  no  doubt,"  answered 
Ames,  pleasantly,  "  but  I  imagine  that  his  claim  is 
a  just  one,  and  in  these  days  we  can't  afford  to 
look  beyond  that.  He  certainly  is  a  remarkable 
character." 

"  How  long  has  he  been  your  client  ?  " 

"  Only  a  short  time.  I  have  had  but  one  matter 
of  his,  and  although  he  appeared  very  careful,  and 
a  little  over-anxious,  I  found  nothing  about  him 
which  warranted  me  in  refusing  to  accept  his  case. 
He  is  a  usurer,  and  I  should  say  that  his  appear 
ance  indicated  descent  from  a  certain  lost  tribe; 
but  as  I  have  said,  we  can't  draw  too  fine  a  line 
in  these  days.  If  debtors  refuse  to  pay  their  just 
debts,  creditors  must  be  protected,  and  the  law 
allowed  to  act." 

"  Very  true,"  answered  Perry,  his  face  taking  on 
a  more  serious  expression.  "  Very  true,  Ames,  but 
I  cannot  go  to  the  extreme  that  you  do.  While 
I  see  clearly  that  government  needs  funds  and  that 
taxation  is  its  only  resource,  yet  the  drain  upon  the 
farmers,  in  their  present  condition,  is  more  than 
they  can  bear.  I  ran  across  a  case  out  west  that 
seems  to  me  in  point.  A  man  assured  me  that  in 
the  old  days  he  could  live  comfortably  on  forty 
pounds  a  year.  Now  his  taxes  amount  to  more 
than  two  hundred  dollars.  How  can  we  expect 
93 


Captain  Shays. 

such  a  one  to  live  and  not  get  into  debt  ?  To  be 
sure  the  creditors  must  be  permitted  to  collect  their 
just  claims,  but  is  there  not  something  radically 
wrong  that  should  be  righted  ?  " 

"  Undoubtedly,  Perry,  there  are  two  sides  to  the 
question,  and  I  am  not  one  to  be  blind  to  the  fact. 
But  our  government  must  be  supported,  and  its 
principles  maintained,  even  at  the  cost  of  some  suf 
fering.  This  rebellion  is  guided  by  the  hand  of  an 
unscrupulous  mountebank,  who  was  one  of  Gates's 
Newburgh  rioters,  and  who  will  prevent  the  federa 
tion  if  he  can  do  so.  We  all  suffer  in  a  degree ; 
and  although  the  agricultural  districts  are  especially 
unfortunate  in  this  instance,  yet  they  should  see 
that  their  salvation,  as  well  as  that  of  the  rest  of 
us,  lies  in  strict  obedience  to  the  laws,  and  the 
suppression  of  Shays  and  his  villanous  followers." 

Perry  shook  his  head  and  smiled. 

"  I  see  that  you  take  an  extreme  view,"  he  said, 
"  but  I  cannot  agree  with  you  entirely.  I  do,  of 
course,  admit  that  creditors  should  be  satisfied,  but 
I  think  that  under  the  circumstances  there  should 
be  an  adjustment  possible  between  debtor  and 
creditor.  It  is  so  very  apparent  that  it  is  impos 
sible  for  the  people  to  meet  their  obligations,  that 
it  would  be  a  benefit  to  both  parties.  Take  our 
client  as  an  example.  Do  you  think  he  would 
94 


Captain  Shays. 

suffer  seriously  were  he  to  compromise  with  his 
debtor  ?  I  only  mention  this  as  a  possibility.  I 
have  no  doubt  that  his  claim  is  just  and  should  be 
pushed  to  the  end,  but  there  are  many  instances 
where  this  is  not  the  case." 

"  Your  example  is  not  a  good  one,"  said  Ames. 
"  Piper  is  a  professional  money-lender,  not  a  mer 
chant  or  the  government.  You  may  find  that  he 
is  not  honest,  in  which  case  throw  him  over.  But 
I  was,  speaking  of  the  needs  of  government  and 
the  bonafide  claims  of  respectable  citizens.  The 
fact  is  that  the  farmers  don't  want  federation,  and 
they  are  exaggerating  their  troubles  to  incite  re 
bellion.  It  will  be  short-lived,  though." 

"  I  hope  so  on  all  accounts,"  answered  Perry, 
"and  that  reminds  me.  When  do  you  and  Otis 
join  General  Shepard  ?  The  Supreme  Court  meets 
in  Springfield  next  week,  and  then  you  '11  have  a 
chance  of  meeting  my  friend  Captain  Shays !  " 

"  We  start  by  the  end  of  the  present  week.  I  'm 
taking  this  for  a  holiday,  for  I  don't  anticipate  very 
serious  fighting.  When  do  you  leave  ?  " 

"  To-morrow.  I  'm  going  first  to  Worcester, 
then  on  through  Petersham,  where  I  will  look  up 
this  defendant,  and  see  what  I  can  do  with  him. 
Then  I  shall  push  on  to  Springfield  in  time  for 
the  opening  of  the  session." 

95 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Won't  you  spend  to-night  with  me  in  Dedham, 
and  start  from  there  in  the  morning  ?  It  would  give 
me  much  pleasure,  and  might  refresh  you  a  bit. 
You  've  been  working  steadily  of  late,  and  a  quiet 
afternoon  and  evening  will  do  you  good." 

"  Thank  you  very  much.  I  Ve  a  few  odds  and 
ends  to  attend  to,  and  when  I  have  finished  I  '11  go 
home  and  get  ready,  and  ride  out.  If  you  can 
wait  until  one  o'clock,  I  will  go  with  you." 

"  I  '11  wait  with  pleasure.  Meet  me  at  Concert 
Hall  at  one,  and  we  '11  drink  a  glass  of  punch  and 
start  from  there.  Au  revoir.  At  one  then." 

It  was  nearly  noon  when  Perry  left  his  office 
on  King  Street  and  went  to  his  rooms  on  Clark 
Square.  He  made  his  preparations  hastily,  and 
just  as  it  was  striking  one,  rode  up  Hanover  Street 
to  Concert  Hall,  where  Ames  was  in  waiting  for 
him.  They  drank  their  punch,  mounted  their 
horses,  and  soon  passed  through  Marlborough  and 
Orange  Streets,  and  out  over  Dorchester  Neck. 

"If  it  hadn't  been  for  your  kind  invitation," 
said  Perry,  as  they  rode  along  the  Neck,  examining 
the  remains  of  the  fortifications,  and  the  marks  of 
the  British  cannon-balls,  "  I  'd  have  gone  by  the 
way  of  the  new  Charlestown  bridge  built  last  June. 
It 's  a  wonderful  structure,  Ames.  I  came  over  it 
on  my  way  home  last  week." 


Captain  Shays. 

"  It 's  a  great  convenience,  and  I  'm  surprised 
that  they  haven't  finished  it  sooner,"  answered 
Ames.  "  For  me,  of  course  it 's  no  great  con 
venience,  for  this  road  is  quite  direct  to  Dedham. 
But  for  those  going  west  it 's  a  great  saving  of 
time.  Besides,  I  never  tire  of  the  views  one  gets 
going  this  way.  See  the  light  over  the  bay  and 
the  Heights,  and  then  off  toward  Squantum  and 
Milton.  There  's  nothing  equal  to  it." 

"  If  you  're  more  fond  of  the  sea  and  its  shore 
than  the  woods  and  hills,  yes.  I  can't  say  that  I 
enjoy  this  part  of  the  ride  as  much  as  that  further 
on.  But  even  that,  beautiful  as  it  is,  does  not  appeal 
to  me  as  do  the  hills  and  rolling  plains  of  Worces 
ter  and  Berkshire.  But  I  agree  that  this  is  most 
lovely." 

For  some  time  after  this  short  conversation  they 
cantered  along  without  speaking,  until  they  de 
scended  the  hill  and  crossed  the  bridge  into 
Milton.  As  they  were  ascending  the  incline  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  Neponset  River,  Perry, 
who  had  seemed  wrapped  in  thought  for  some 
time,  suddenly  burst  into  song,  — 

"  The  dairy-maid  was  shy  she  said, 
And  did  n't  want  to  kiss  me, 
But  when  I  'm  gone,  she  '11  be  forlorn, 
And  I  am  sure  she  '11  miss  me." 

7  97 


Captain  Shays. 

Ames  looked  at  him  and  burst  into  a  fit  of 
laughter. 

"For  Heaven's  sake,  Perry,"  he  said,  "what 
ever  put  that  old  college  song  into  your  head  ? 
Have  you  been  making  love  to  some  fair  damsel 
on  your  recent  expedition?  I  haven't  heard  it 
for  ten  years." 

"Nor  I,  either,"  said  Perry,  laughing  also, 
"  until  I  sang  it  on  leaving  Petersham  last  week. 
Don't  ask  too  many  questions.  She  had  red  hair, 
and  a  bristling  ogre  for  a  father !  " 

"  Then  I  Ve  hit  it.  Now  I  see,  Perry,  why 
your  sympathies  are  so  much  aroused  in  favor  of 
the  agricultural  classes,  and  I  Ve  been  most  in 
discreet.  But  the  fact  is,  I  never  suspected  it." 
He  threw  back  his  head  and  laughed  again. 

"  And  pray  why  should  n't  I  fall  in  love  with  a 
dairy-maid  ?  "  asked  Perry,  with  mock  seriousness. 
"You  and  that  old  ogre  have  keen  perceptions, 
Ames,  for  I  think  that  he,  too,  suspected  me.  But 
I  '11  be  careful  that  you  don't  see  her,  for  it  might 
cause  jealousy  in  Dedham." 

They  both  laughed,  and  whipping  up  their  horses 
passed  round  the  old  road  over  Brush  Hill  to  Fowl 
Meadows.  Leaving  the  great  Blue  Hill  on  the 
left,  they  turned  over  Hubbard's  bridge  toward 
Dedham.  It  was  a  warm  afternoon,  and  they 


Captain  Shays. 

were  glad  to  get  under  the  shade  of  the  trees, 
through  which  wound  the  road  beyond  the 
meadows  toward  the  village. 

"  You  'd  hardly  think  that  this  quiet  town  was 
tinctured  with  rebellion,  Perry,"  said  Ames,  as  they 
passed  up  the  street  by  the  meeting-house,  "  but 
such  is  the  case,  nevertheless.  The  would-be 
rebels  have  already  had  their  meetings,  and  they 
have  petitioned  the  General  Court  to  abolish  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas,  annihilate  us  poor  law 
yers,  and  reduce  the  salaries  of  public  officials. 
But  we  Ve  had  no  disturbances  as  yet,  and  I  'm 
quite  sure  that  we  shall  have  none  here.  There  's 
my  office,"  he  went  on,  pointing  to  a  window  they 
were  passing.  "  They  have  n't  sacked  it  yet.  Do 
you  know  that  I  prefer  this  to  King  Street  ?  Not 
that  the  income  from  it  is  large,  but  I  have  time  to 
think  and  write  and  read.  I  have  tried  in  a  modest 
way  to  convince  our  people  that  they  are  mistaken 
in  their  opinions  of  government,  and  that  we  are 
moving  on  the  right  lines.  Unfortunately  some  of 
them  don't  stop  to  think,  but  plunge  headlong  into 
the  abyss  of  Anarchy." 

"  What  do  you  think  will  be  the  outcome  of  all 
this  agitation  ?  "  asked  Perry,  as  of  one  to  whose 
opinion  he  gave  great  weight. 

"  The  outcome  is  in  no  way  in  doubt,"  answered 
99 


Captain  Shays. 

Ames,  with  more  warmth  than  he  had  hitherto 
shown.  "  This  rebellion  will  be  put  down ;  the 
States  will  be  united ;  the  laws  will  be  obeyed ;  and 
then  we  shall  have  such  a  government  as  shall  be 
everlasting,  and  there  shall  spring  from  it  a  para 
dise  among  nations.  God  knows  that  we  Ve  not 
passed  through  all  these  years  of  strife  to  see  our 
hopes  wrecked  on  the  shoals  of  Anarchy.  No, 
Perry.  This  storm  will  blow  past  us,  and  the  sun 
will  shine  the  brighter  after  it." 

"  I  believe  you,  Ames.  Yet  I  cannot  see  clearly 
how  the  people  can  live  until  that  happy  time 
arrives.  They  cannot  live  without  food  and 
raiment,  and  food  and  raiment  do  not  come 
unbidden." 

"  But  they  will  come  tlhe  sooner  with  peace  and 
good  government.  We  are  but  feeling  the  natural 
reaction  of  the  war,  and  it  was  to  be  expected. 
We  are  still  in  Chaos,  and  our  Creation  will  not  be 
complete  until  the  Constitution  is  perfected,  and 
the  laws  adjusted.  Then  will  come  the  federa 
tion  of  States  ;  the  cementing  together  of  all  these 
great  English-speaking  free  commonwealths;  and 
the  cement  that  holds  them  together  will  be  the 
federal  Constitution,  which  will  grow  harder  and 
firmer  as  years  go  on,  until  like  adamant  it  will  be 
wellnigh  indestructible." 

100 


Captaiti 

They  were  now  approaching  tlic  little '^dlu 
wooden  house  where  Fisher  Ames  was  born,  and 
where  his  mother  lived. 

"Here  we  are,"  he  said  with  a  bright  smile. 
"  For  the  rest  of  the  day  let 's  put  aside  politics, 
and  I  '11  show  you  about  the  farm.  We  must  not 
pollute  this  sweet  autumn  air  with  talk  of  anarchy 
and  rebellion." 


101 


CHAPTER  X. 

AFTER  breakfast  on  the  following  morning, 
William  Perry  mounted  his  horse  and  bade 
farewell  to  his  host. 

"Beware  the  dairy-maid,  Perry,"  called  Ames, 
as  William  rode  away  toward  the  highway.  He 
answered  with  a  laugh,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight 
on  his  way  to  Worcester. 

William  Perry  was  about  four  years  Fisher 
Ames'  junior,  but  the  difference  in  their  ages 
seemed  much  greater,  for  Ames  was  of  maturer 
mind,  and  had  developed  much  under  the  severe 
schooling  he  had  experienced  since  he  entered 
Harvard  College  at  twelve  years  of  age.  Though 
bright,  witty,  and  affable,  he  was  of  a  thoughtful, 
serious  disposition.  Perry  was  also  a  student,  a 
young  man  of  marked  promise,  of  firm  convic 
tions,  and  sound  judgment.  Yet  he  had  another 
and  more  frivolous  side  to  his  character,  as  could 
be  well  seen  by  those  whom  he  met  as  he  passed 
through  Natick  and  on  toward  Worcester,  hum- 
102 


Captain  Shays. 

ming,  singing,  and  whistling  like  a  school-boy. 
When  he  was  away  from  the  cares  of  his  profes 
sion,  he  was  bubbling  over  with  the  mirth  and 
careless  swing  of  youth,  and  it  would  have  oc 
curred  to  no  one  that  he  had  ever  anything  to  bur 
den  his  mind  other  than  the  passing  pleasures  of 
the  moment. 

As  he  neared  Worcester,  he  noticed  from  time 
to  time  little  groups  of  men,  some  walking  along 
the  highway  toward  the  west,  others  gathered 
under  the  shade  of  the  trees,  talking  earnestly. 
At  first  it  did  not  occur  to  him  who  these  men 
were,  but  it  finally  came  to  him  that  they  were 
recruits  going  to  join  Shays  in  the  west. 

Perry  was  not  a  coward.  On  the  contrary,  he 
was  rather  reckless,  and  feared  no  one.  But  he 
had,  nevertheless,  thought  it  prudent  to  put  on  his 
homespun  costume  before  leaving  Dedham,  for  it 
was  important  that  he  should  reach  his  destination 
without  delay,  as  he  had  given  himself  none  too 
much  time,  and  recent  occurrences,  coupled  with 
the  recollection  of  his  meeting  with  Shays  between 
Barre  and  Princeton,  had  convinced  him  that  the 
less  cause  he  gave  the  people  for  suspecting  his 
calling  and  destination,  the  less  chance  there  would 
be  of  his  being  detained  and  questioned.  As  he 
rode  past  the  groups  of  people,  he  was  sure  that 
103 


Captain  Shays. 

he  had  acted  wisely,  for  they  simply  cast  side 
glances  at  him,  and  then  resumed  their  conversa 
tion.  So  it  was  that  he  rode  into  Worcester  and 
up  to  the  inn  where  he  had  passed  the  night  not 
many  days  before.  The  keeper  recognized  him, 
and  saluted  him  civilly. 

"  You  're  a  great  traveller,  sir,"  said  the  host,  as 
Perry  entered  the  tap-room.  "  I  wish  there  were 
more  like  you.  Business  is  bad,  sir,  very  bad, 
and  many  don't  pay  at  all.  There  's  a  hard  lot 
passing  through  here  now.  They  tell  me  that 
some  of  'em  have  broken  gaol,  and  that  others 
are  only  fit  to  be  there.  How  are  matters  in 
Boston,  sir  ?  " 

"  Comparatively  quiet.  There  is  very  little  dis 
turbance  as  yet  in  the  eastern  counties,  although 
Bristol  and  Middlesex  show  signs  of  giving  gov 
ernment  trouble,  and  a  few  of  the  towns  of  Norfolk 
contain  those  who  are  discontented.  But  on  the 
whole  we  've  not  much  to  fear.  Has  our  friend 
Captain  Shays  been  here  lately?  He  must  be 
near  here  now." 

"So  near,  sir,  that  I  'd  not  be  surprised  at  a 
visit  from  him  at  any  moment.  He 's  flying  around 
the  country  like  a  mad  man,  and  from  what  the 
frequenters  of  my  tap-room  say,  I  should  think  he 
was  gathering  quite  a  following  from  among  the 
104 


Captain  Shays. 

farmers.  It's  a  shame,  sir,  that  he's  allowed  to 
be  at  large." 

"  It  won't  be  for  long,  for  General  Shepard  will 
be  on  hand  to  meet  him  at  Springfield,  and  I  doubt 
if  he  '11  escape  from  him.  I  wish  that  the  farmers 
would  keep  out  of  this.  They  're  but  digging  their 
own  graves.  I  'm  sure  that  patience  is  all  that  is 
needed." 

"  Who  needs  patience? "  said  the  voice  of  a  man 
behind  him,  entering  the  door. 

Perry  turned  quickly  and  saw  before  him  a  man 
dressed  in  an  old  continental  uniform;  his  legs 
spread  apart,  and  his  hands  on  his  hips.  The 
three-cornered  hat  was  tipped  forward,  shading  his 
heavy  features,  and  for  a  moment  the  young  man 
did  not  recognize  him.  As  he  threw  back  his  head, 
however,  William  noticed  who  it  was,  and  an  expres 
sion  of  disgust  came  over  his  face  as  he  answered,  — 

"  /  need  patience  sometimes,  Captain  Shays,  and 
especially  when  I  'm  interrupted  in  a  conversation 
with  a  friend.  Wait  until  you  're  addressed  before 
you  ask  questions." 

Shays  looked  at  him  with  an  amused  smile. 
Then  he  lounged  forward,  and  stopping  in  the  mid 
dle  of  the  room,  said,  examining  Perry  closely,  — 

"  Whew  !  'Pon  my  sword  it's  my  young  friend. 
How  d'  ye  do,  Mr.  Lawyer  ?  We  've  great  luck 
105 


Captain  Shays. 

in  meeting,  ain't  we?  This  is  an  unexpected 
pleasure." 

"Speak  for  yourself,  Captain  Shays,"  replied 
Perry,  returning  his  gaze.  "  I  can't  say  that  it 
is  entirely  unexpected  to  me.  I  knew  you  were 
skulking  round  here  somewhere.  Nor  can  I  say 
that  it 's  any  great  pleasure.  I  was  perfectly  satis 
fied  before  you  appeared." 

"  You  don't  say  so,"  said  Shays,  bowing.  "  But 
I  see  you  've  taken  my  advice,  even  if  you  don't 
like  my  company.  A  wise  move,  sir,  to  put  on 
them  clothes,"  and  he  burst  out  into  a  hoarse  laugh. 
"  Let 's  christen  'em  in  a  glass  of  punch,  Mr. 
Lawyer.  Our  host  here  is  very  obliging,  and 
he'll  serve  us  at  once." 

The  keeper  was  about  to  pour  out  the  punch 
when  Perry  stopped  him. 

"One  moment,"  he  said,  looking  calmly  at 
Shays.  "  There  are  two  reasons  why  he  will  not 
serve  that  punch,  Captain  Daniel  Shays,  and  if 
you  '11  listen  quietly  I  '11  tell  you  what  they  are. 
First,  I  '11  not  drink  with  you ;  second,  you  have  n't 
any  intention  of  paying  for  it.  There  's  one  thing, 
Captain  Shays,  that  I  wish  you  to  understand. 
I  'm  a  college-bred  lawyer."  The  other  smiled 
contemptuously.  "Yes,  sir,  I'm  a  college-bred 
lawyer,  who  is  on  his  way  to  the  opening  of  the 
106 


Captain  Shays. 

Supreme  Court  in  Springfield.  I  'm  aware  of  the 
fact  that  you  have  a  dislike  for  men  of  my  profes 
sion,  and  that  you  hold  them  in  contempt ;  but 
before  you  attempt  any  of  your  bullying  here,  I 
wish  to  give  you  a  piece  of  information,  together 
with  some  good  advice.  I  followed  yours ;  do  as 
I  Ve  done.  I  entered  college  at  the  age  of  four 
teen  and  left  it  when  I  was  eighteen.  While  there 
I  was  particularly  interested  in  athletic  sports, 
and  boxed,  lifted,  fenced,  wrestled,  and  shot  the 
pistol.  After  my  graduation,  there  was  given  in 
Boston  an  exhibition  which  included  tests  of  skill 
with  the  sword  and  pistol,  and  trials  of  strength. 
Of  eighty-two  youths  who  contested,  I  was  first  in 
everything,  and  I  Ve  gained  rather  than  lost  in 
efficiency  during  the  last  seven  years.  This  is  the 
information  I  wished  to  give  you.  Now  for  the 
advice.  Unless  you  have  friends  within  hailing 
distance  I  advise  you  to  get  out  of  that  door  before 
I  put  you  out.  Ah  !  you  prefer  the  rapier  ?  Mine 's 
here,"  he  went  on,  putting  his  hand  to  his  side. 
"  I  'm  quite  willing  you  should  remain  on  those 
terms."  Shays  looked  at  him  a  moment,  then 
laughed  a  little  nervously  and  said,  — 

"  I  don't  want  to  quarrel  with  you,  Mr.  Lawyer. 
I  came  in  here  to  get  a  drink,  for  I  knew  it  was  a 
quiet  place.     You   talk  mighty  big,  and  if  I  had 
107 


Captain  Shays. 

time  I  'd  have  a  bout  with  ye,  but  I  ain't,  so  I  '11 
take  my  punch  and  be  moving  on." 

"And  you'll  pay  for  it  before  you  go,  too," 
Perry  answered,  stepping  between  him  and  the 
keeper. 

"Damn  it,  who  ever  said  I  was  n't  going  to  pay 
for  it  but  'you  ?  "  said  Shays,  stopping  short  and 
looking  at  him  with  an  ugly  expression.  "  Do  ye 
think  I  'm  to  be  browbeaten  by  such  as  you  ? 
Get  out  of  my  way,"  and  he  tried  to  pass. 

"  Captain  Shays,"  said  William,  quietly  holding 
his  ground,  "  I  've  given  you  some  good  advice, 
and  you  'd  better  take  it.  You  can  pass  and  take 
your  punch,  and  I  '11  go  over  to  the  door  and  wait 
until  you  are  ready  to  go." 

Perry  was  starting  across  the  room  when  he  was 
surprised  to  see  two  men  entering  the  doorway. 
They  were  evidently  in  a  great  hurry,  and  out  of 
breath.  Seeing  Shays,  one  of  them  called  out,  — 

"Come,  cap'n,  be  quick.  There's  trouble  in 
the  tavern  up  at  the  other  end  of  the  town,  and  if 
ye  don't  come  quick  there  '11  be  broken  heads." 

"What's  the  matter,  Day?"  said  the  captain, 
about  to  raise  the  glass  to  his  lips.  "  Have  those 
damned  rascals  got  full  of  ale  again  ?  " 

"They  have,  cap'n,  and  we  ought  to  be  on  the 
march  now,  for  I  've  heard  this  afternoon  that 
1 08 


Captain  Shays. 

that  old  rat  Shepard  is  trying  to  get  the  militia  into 
Springfield  ahead  of  us." 

"  Well,  my  friend  Mr.  Lawyer,"  said  Shays,  "  I 
can't  wait  to  attend  to  you  now,  for  I  've  more  im 
portant  business.  But  we  've  been  in  the  habit  of 
meeting  lately,  so  I  guess  we  '11  do  it  again  before 
long.  The  next  time  I  may  not  be  quite  so  pleas 
ant.  Good-night.  Sorry  you  would  n't  join  me  in 
the  punch." 

Perry  deigned  no  answer,  but  turning  his  back 
on  him,  walked  up  to  where  the  keeper  was  stand 
ing  with  an  anxious  expression. 

"  Cheer  up,  my  man,"  he  said,  with  a  reassuring 
laugh.  "  He  's  well  out  of  the  way  now,  and  won't 
trouble  you  again.  That 's  the  only  way  to  handle 
such  a  man  as  he  is,  for  any  one  can  see  that  he  is 
a  bully,  and  when  it  comes  to  real  fighting  he  '11 
prove  a  coward,  and  will  run  as  fast  as  any  of  them. 
I  Ve  no  doubt  that  he  'd  like  to  get  a  chance  at 
me,  but  he'll  be  out  of  the  way  by  morning,  so 
I  '11  trouble  you  to  get  me  supper,  and  then  I  '11  go 
to  bed." 

"  All  right,  sir,  I  '11  get  it  ready.  I  'm  obliged  to 
you  for  protecting  my  rights,  but  I  hope,  sir,  he 
won't  come  back  here.  He  's  a  reckless  fellow, 
and  there  's  no  telling  what  he  'd  do." 

"  Give  yourself  no  anxiety.  He 's  got  all  he  can 
109 


Captain  Shays. 

attend  to,  to  keep  his  followers  in  order,  and  he 
wants  to  get  to  Springfield  before  Shepard.  It 's 
a  shame  that  decent,  well-meaning  men  join  him 
and  his  mob,  but  they  're  desperate,  and  I  suppose 
don't  know  what  to  do.  I  'm  sorry,  though,  that 
you  should  have  been  startled  by  him.  As  for 
myself,  I  have  n't  the  least  anxiety.  He  '11  be  well 
on  his  way  by  to-morrow,  and  only  he  and  one  or 
two  others  know  me,  and  they  're  in  a  hurry.  If  it 
was  n't  for  that  they  might  lie  in  wait  for  me,  and 
give  me  some  annoyance ;  but  under  the  circum 
stances,  I  '11  go  ahead  unconcerned." 

"  I  '11  be  glad  when  this  is  all  over,"  said  the 
keeper,  with  a  sigh,  as  he  was  laying  the  table. 
"  If  it  was  known  that  he  'd  been  here  to-night  I 
would  n't  have  a  decent  customer  for  a  month. 
They  're  all  in  terror  of  him,  sir,  and  you  're  the 
first  that  I  've  known  to  dare  to  answer  him.  He 
and  his  men  have  been  having  pretty  much  their 
own  way  about  here  for  some  time,  and  the  Lord 
be  praised  that  they're  off  to-night.  If  they 
don't  come  back  and  burn  my  house  first,  I  '11  be 
thankful." 

Perry  smiled,  and  ate  his  supper.     When  he  had 

finished  he  lighted  a  pipe  and  went  outside  the 

door  to  breathe  the  fresh  air.     He  strolled  down 

toward  the  street,  and  was  about  to  return,  when 

no 


Captain  Shays. 

he  noticed  a  red  light  in  the  sky  over  the  north 
western  part  of  the  town.  At  first  he  thought  it 
some  reflection,  but  in  a  moment  he  saw  that  it 
grew  brighter,  and  danced  in  the  heavens.  Then 
a  tongue  of  flame  shot  up  into  the  air,  and  almost 
at  the  same  instant  he  heard  near  him  a  cry  of  fire, 
then  another,  and  still  another,  until  finally  the 
whole  town  seemed  to  be  awakened,  and  rushing 
in  the  direction  of  the  conflagration.  By  this  time 
the  bells  in  the  church  steeple  were  ringing  the 
alarm,  and  the  whole  town  was  in  an  uproar. 
Perry  watched  a  moment,  then  turned,  ran  into 
the  house,  and  taking  his  hat  called  the  keeper : 

"  The  town 's  on  fire.  Come  quick  and  help 
catch  those  rascals,  for  it 's  their  work." 

"I  can't  leave  my  house  alone,  sir,  on  such  a 
night  as  this,"  answered  the  keeper,  in  despair. 

"  Come  out  and  tell  me  where  you  think  it  is. 
You  can  judge  better  than  I  can." 

The  keeper  hesitated,  but  went  out  and  looked 
in  the  direction  of  the  fire. 

"It's  beyond  the  town,  sir,  and  it's  a  good  sign 
that  it  is.  I  know  from  the  direction  that  it 's  on 
Blodget's  farm,  and  from  the  height  of  the  flames 
it  must  be  his  barn.  It 's  no  use  going  after  'em, 
sir,  for  it 's  a  good  two  mile  away,  and  they  're 
more  than  double  that  from  here  before  now.  Let 
in 


Captain  Shays. 

'em  go,  for  God's  sake.  That 's  the  third  barn  in 
as  many  weeks." 

"  Well,  I  guess  you  're  right,"  answered  Perry,  a 
little  reluctantly.  "It  seems  to  be  subsiding  now, 
and  I  've  got  a  long  journey  to-morrow,  so  good 
night,  and  call  me  at  sunrise." 

With  that  he  re-entered  the  house  and  went 
to  bed. 


112 


CHAPTER  XL 

AS  Perry  rode  out  of  Worcester  the  following 
morning,  he  did  not  feel  at  all  sure  that  his 
trip  to  Petersham  would  be  a  pleasant  one,  for 
notwithstanding  his  assurances  to  the  keeper  the 
night  before,  he  knew  very  well  that  Shays  would 
not  forget  him,  and  would  lose  no  opportunity  of 
repaying  him  for  his  words  and  actions  in  the 
tavern.  That  Shays  was  a  coward  was  distinctly 
proved,  but  Perry  was  also  aware  that  he  was 
revengeful,  and  that  he  would  probably  speak  to 
his  sympathizers  along  the  road  with  hopes  of 
getting  some  one  to  do  the  work  which  he  did  not 
have  the  time  to  do  himself.  These  thoughts  gave 
him  little  anxiety,  however,  and  only  served  to 
make  him  watchful  for  the  first  few  miles,  and 
then  he  burst  out  into  song  again,  and  before 
he  had  rounded  Mount  Wachusett  had  forgotten 
all  about  Shays  and  his  henchmen.  As  the  first 
glimpse  of  Monadnock  met  his  eyes,  he  began  to 
8  113 


Captain  Shays. 

think  of  his  errand  to  Petersham,  and  how  he 
should  go  about  it. 

"I  can  ask  that  old  pirate,"  he  thought,  "or 
perhaps  it  would  be  better  to  inquire  of  his  fair 
daughter,"  he  went  on  with  a  laugh.  "  But  better 
still  will  be  to  find  out  at  the  tavern,  for  I  Ve  got 
to  spend  the  night  there."  He  again  relapsed  into 
humming,  and  for  some  time  seemed  absorbed  in 
thought.  Finally  these  thoughts  passed  through 
his  mind  in  rapid  succession. 

UI  wish  that  old  miser  Piper  was  in  Hades. 
It 's  probably  some  poor  hard-working  farmer  he 's 
after,  and  I  don't  like  the  business.  But  Ames  is 
not  a  man  to  undertake  anything  unfair,  so  I  '11  go 
ahead.  It  '11  help  me  if  it 's  known  that  he 's  con 
fided  his  matters  to  me,  and  I  can't  afford  to  be 
too  sensitive.  What 's  that  church  on  the  hill  ? 
Ah  !  Rutland.  Well,  it  is  n't  far  to  Barre  now, 
and  I  '11  have  to  be  on  the  lookout  there.  My  old 
friends  may  recognize  me  if  they  have  n't  joined 
their  Daniel." 

He  went  on  across  the  valley,  keeping  a  little 
more  careful  watch,  for  the  woods  were  thick,  and 
he  did  not  wish  to  be  caught  unawares.  He  met 
a  number  of  people,  some  of  whom  were  evidently 
on  Shays'  trail ;  but  as  he  always  bowed  with 
a  pleasant  good-day,  they  passed  on  without  pay- 
114 


Captain  Shays. 

ing  him  any  particular  attention.  At  last  he 
reached  the  ford  over  the  river,  where  he  dis 
mounted  and  sat  down  on  a  stone,  holding  the 
bridle  while  his  horse  drank.  He  had  sat  musing 
for  a  few  moments  when  he  thought  he  heard 
horses  galloping  up  the  road  in  the  direction  from 
which  he  had  just  come.  He  listened  a  minute 
longer,  then  got  up  slowly,  mounted  his  horse,  and 
began  fording  the  stream.  The  sound  of  the 
galloping  came  nearer,  and  just  as  he  reached 
the  opposite  bank  he  turned  and  saw  three  horse 
men  approaching  the  other  side  of  the  river.  He 
was  about  to  continue  his  journey  when  he  heard 
one  of  the  men  calling, — 

"  Say,  Mr.  Lawyer,  we  almost  missed  ye,  did  n't 
we  ?  The  cap'n  would  like  to  meet  ye  again,  and 
he  's  sent  us  to  look  ye  up.  Jest  wait  a  minute 
until  we  cross." 

As  Perry  wheeled  round  he  thought  he  recog 
nized  two  of  the  men  as  those  who  had  called  Shays 
away  from  the  inn  in  Worcester.  After  examining 
them  a  moment,  he  called  back,  — 

"What  does  Captain  Shays  want  of  me?  I 
thought  he  had  enough  last  night ;  but  if  he  is  n't 
satisfied  I  '11  be  happy  to  meet  him  in  Springfield. 
I  'm  in  a  hurry  now,  so  I  can't  stop  to  speak  to 
you." 

"5 


Captain  Shays. 

11 1  rather  guess  you  '11  stop,  Mr.  Lawyer,"  said 
the  man,  drawing  his  pistol,  and  aiming  it  at  Perry 
across  the  stream,  which  at  this  point  was  only 
a  few  rods  wide,  and  shallow.  "He's  kind  of 
tetchy,  Cap'n  Shays  is,  and  he  feels  a  little  hurt 
at  the  way  ye  spoke  to  him  last  night,  and  I  guess 
he  'd  like  to  speak  to  ye  himself.  Jest  wait  where 
you  are  until  we  ford  the  river." 

"  I  '11  wait  where  I  am,  and  you  '11  have  a  hard 
job  reaching  me,"  said  Perry,  drawing  his  pistol 
like  a  flash,  and  covering  the  man  with  it.  "  What 
button  would  you  like  to  have  me  mutilate  on  that 
pea-green  coat  of  yours  ?  I  advise  you,  my  friend, 
to  lower  that  pistol,  and  ride  away  to  your  captain. 
Otherwise,  you  may  find  it  difficult." 

The  other  laughed  and  said,  — 

"  I  guess  three  of  us  can  catch  one,  so  don't 
be  foolish." 

"  There  was  an  old  Roman  who  kept  off  more 
than  three,"  said  Perry,  still  covering  the  man, 
"  and  they  were  n't  such  damned  rascals  as  you 
are,  either.  Fire  away,  if  you  want  to,"  he  went 
on,  noticing  the  man's  high  and  unsteady  aim. 
"  I  'm  perfectly  willing.  But  mind  what  I  say.  If 
you  do  and  miss  me,  just  say  a  little  prayer,  for 
you'll  need  it." 

"  I  'in  sorry,  Mr.  Lawyer,  to  have  to  do  it,  but 
116 


Captain  Shays. 

my  order  is  to  bring  ye  to  the  cap'n,  and  if  I  can't 
get  ye  no  other  way,  to  jest  kind  of  calm  ye  down 
with  a  bullet.  So  put  down  your  pistol." 

"  I  '11  put  you  down,  you  scoundrel,"  said  Perry, 
taking  a  good  sight  and  pulling  the  trigger. 

The  pistol  dropped  from  the  man's  hand  and  his 
arm  fell  to  his  side  helpless. 

"  He  's  hit  me,  boys,"  he  groaned ;  "  shoot  him 
quick,  and  then  get  across.  I  '11  slip  off  and  bathe 
my  hand." 

In  the  mean  time  Perry  had  drawn  his  fresh 
pistol  and  covered  one  of  the  other  men.  The 
next  moment  there  were  two  reports,  and  two 
bullets  whizzed  by  his  head  in  rather  uncomfort 
able  proximity.  He  waited  a  minute  and  then 
called  out :  — 

"  I  don't  want  to  take  any  unfair  advantage, 
but  I  guess  I  '11  just  put  a  ball  through  your 
shoulder.  There,"  he  said,  as  he  pulled  the 
trigger,  and  the  man,  with  a  scream,  put  his  hand 
up  to  his  collar-bone,  "  now  you  are  at  liberty  to 
move  on.  I  'm  sorry  to  have  inconvenienced  you 
two  gentlemen,  and  to  have  caused  your  friend  to 
beat  a  retreat,  but  with  a  little  care  you  '11  be  all 
right  in  a  few  days.  I  'm  afraid  Captain  Shays 
didn't  inform  you  of  what  I  told  him  last  night. 
If  he  had  you  'd  have  been  more  careful.  Feeling 

"7 


Captain  Shays. 

a  little  better  now?  Well,  good-day.  The  next 
time  I  have  so  good  a  chance  I  '11  take  better 
advantage  of  it." 

With  a  laugh  he  turned  his  horse  about  and 
galloped  away  up  the  road  toward  Barre. 

"  They  could  n't  have  hit  the  side  of  a  barn,"  he 
thought,  as  he  walked  his  horse  up  the  steep  pitch 
leading  into  the  town.  "  Of  course  they  might 
have  touched  me  by  mistake,  but  from  the  way 
they  held  their  pistols  I  could  see  there  was  no 
danger.  It  is  getting  rather  disagreeable  though, 
and  I  '11  be  glad  when  I  get  among  civilized  peo 
ple.  Here  I  am  in  the  town.  I  '11  get  a  bite  and 
rest  an  hour,  and  then  move  on  to  Petersham. 
I  've  winged  those  two  vultures,  and  they  won't 
trouble  any  one  to-day,  and  they  can't  get  word 
to  Shays  in  time  for  a  new  departure.  The  fellow 
in  the  tavern  here  is  all  right,  so  I  can  rest 
quietly." 

An  hour  later  he  was  on  his  way  to  Petersham. 
The  afternoon  was  bright  and  cool,  and  as  he 
jogged  along  the  sandy  road  he  looked  over  the 
many-colored  rolling  country  to  the  southeast, 
where  the  round  summit  of  Wachusett  stood  out 
against  the  clear  autumn  sky.  Perry  wondered 
what  mysteries  were  hidden  in  the  shadows  of 
those  valleys,  which  seemed  so  peaceful  as  his 
118 


Captain  Shays. 

gaze  wandered  over  them  from  hill  to  hill.  He 
could  hear  no  sound  save  the  soughing  of  the  wind 
through  the  pines,  and  no  living  object  was  in 
sight.  And  still,  he  knew  there  were  people  there 
with  their  joys  and  their  sorrows.  What  a  small 
and  insignificant  thing  man  is  !  Then  he  smiled, 
for  these  thoughts  seemed  strange  to  him. 

"  The  first  thing  I  know  I  '11  be  becoming  a 
philosopher,  and  I  can't  imagine  anything  more 
disagreeable.  I  must  come  down  from  my  flight 
of  fancy  and  think  about  my  plan  of  action  when 
I  reach  the  end  of  my  day's  journey."  Then  speak 
ing  aloud  to  the  mare,  he  said,  "Well,  Molly, 
are  you  getting  tired,  old  girl?  We  haven't 
much  farther  to  go  to-night.  There's  Monad- 
nock,  and  to  the  left  the  steeple  of  Petersham 
meetinghouse.  Steady,  girl,  down  this  hill,  it's 
steep." 

He  wound  up  round  the  pitch  beyond  the  brook, 
and  was  soon  going  out  from  under  the  elms  down 
the  ledge  to  the  tavern.  The  sun  was  setting  over 
the  village  two  miles  to  the  west  when  he  stopped 
before  the  door  of  the  inn,  a  peculiar  structure 
composed  of  two  two-story  hip-roofed  houses  joined 
together  by  a  long  shed.  In  one  part  was  the  store, 
about  which  were  gathered  several  of  the  towns 
people,  discussing  the  news.  But  Perry  was  too 
119 


Captain  Shays. 

tired  to  pay  much  attention  to  them  ;  so,  dismount 
ing,  he  secured  a  room,  and  then  strolled  out  into 
the  night  air. 

"  This  seems  quiet  enough,  anyway,"  he  mut 
tered  as  he  looked  up  and  down  the  road.  Turn 
ing  toward  the  house,  he  noticed  inside  the  store  a 
little  knot  of  people  standing  about,  talking. 

"  Perhaps  I  '11  go  in  there  and  find  out  what  I 
want  to  know."  He  crossed  the  road  and  went  in. 
The  men  stopped  their  conversation  and  looked 
askance  at  him.  Seeing  their  attitude  he  said 
pleasantly,  — 

"  Good-evening,  gentlemen.  I  Ve  just  arrived, 
and  have  come  in  to  ask  you  where  I  can  find 
one  Isaac  Brown.  I  want  to  see  him  on  busi 
ness,  and  of  course  you  know  him." 

"  He 's  probably  up  to  the  house  now.  He  don't 
stay  down  to  the  shop  after  dark,"  answered  one 
of  the  men,  rather  shortly. 

"  Where  is  his  house,  if  you  please,  sir  ? " 

"Jest  up  beyond  here  up  the  straight  road. 
First  house." 

Perry's  expression  changed. 

"Why,  that's  where  the  blacksmith  lives,"  he 
said  in  surprise.  "You  don't  tell  me  that  this 
Mr.  Brown  is  the  blacksmith  ?  " 

"  Well,  why  should  n't  he  be  ?  Of  course  he 's 
120 


Captain  Shays. 

the  blacksmith,  and  his  father  and  grandfather  was 
afore  him,"  said  the  man. 

"Thank  you,"  stammered  William,  as  he  went 
out  onto  the  road  again.  "This  is  queer,"  he 
mused,  after  he  had  closed  the  door  behind  him. 
"  I  never  suspected  this  revelation.  I  should  have 
said  that  this  man  was  as  well-to-do  as  any  one 
I  met  on  my  recent  trip,  and  I  'm  completely  taken 
by  surprise.  Besides,  I  'm  really  almost  afraid  to 
approach  the  old  pirate.  Well,  I  '11  wait  until 
morning  anyway,  and  think  it  over,  and  perhaps 
he  '11  pay  without  a  murmur,  in  which  case  I  '11 
have  saved  a  good  deal  of  trouble  by  stopping 
here.  I  'm  pretty  well  used  up  after  my  day's 
experiences,  and  I  '11  run  out  to  the  stable  and  see 
that  Molly  's  all  right,  and  then  go  to  bed." 

As  he  was  going  to  his  room  a  little  later,  he 
thought :  — 

"  Ames  bade  me  beware  the  dairy-maid.  I  'm 
inclined  to  think  there  was  something  prophetic 
in  that  warning,  but  that  it  should  be  applied  to 
the  father  rather  than  the  daughter.  However,  *  A 
demain]  as  the  French  say.  I  '11  wait  until 
to-morrow  and  see  what  turns  up." 


121 


CHAPTER  XII. 

DEACON  BROWN  and  his  daughter  were 
seated  in  the  kitchen  eating  their  breakfast, 
as  the  sun  was  rising  over  the  tree-tops  of  the 
grove  beyond  the  pasture.  The  man's  face  was  worn 
and  tired,  for  he  had  slept  but  little  of  late,  and 
had  been  far  from  well.  He  was  looking  out  of 
the  window  with  a  weary  expression  in  his  eyes, 
and  Ruth  was  watching  him  anxiously.  He 
started  to  speak  once  or  twice,  but  seemed  un 
decided,  and  his  eyes  wandered  again  out  toward 
the  orchard.  At  last  he  said,  without  changing  his 
position,  and  with  hesitation,  — 

"  It 's  Friday,  Ruth." 

"  I  know  it  is,  father,"  answered  the  girl,  with  an 
effort  at  cheerfulness,  "  and  you  're  feeling  better, 
are  n't  you  ?  " 

He  did  not  seem  to  notice  her  question. 

"  I  ain't  heard  nothing  more  about  them  notes. 
They  're  due  to-day." 

122 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Never  mind  about  the  notes,  father,"  said 
Ruth,  going  round  the  table  and  putting  her  hand 
on  his  forehead.  "  Your  head  's  hot,  and  it  all 
comes  from  your  fretting  so.  You  can't  pay  if  you 
have  n't  got  the  money,  and  you  Ve  promised  me 
not  to  think  about  it.  Eat  your  breakfast,  and 
I  '11  go  down  to  the  shop  with  you." 

"It  ain't  so  much  their  being  able  to  make  me 
pay,  Ruth.  But  I  've  always  paid  my  debts,  and 
I  always  will,  if  they  '11  give  me  time.  It  ain't  my 
fault." 

"Of  course  it  isn't,  father.  If  they'd  been 
going  to  trouble  you,  you  'd  have  heard  of  it  before 
now.  Just  sit  there  while  I  do  my  work,  and  then 
I  '11  go  with  you  and  blow  the  bellows.  I  like  to 
do  it,  and  it  is  n't  hard  a  bit." 

Deacon  Brown  did  not  answer,  but  still  sat 
gazing  out  of  the  window.  At  last  he  was  roused 
by  Ruth's  speaking  to  him. 

"  Come,  father,"  she  said  brightly,  "  here  's  your 
hat  and  coat.  Put  'em  on  and  we  '11  get  to  work." 

He  turned  his  head,  and  a  faint  smile  came  over 
his  face. 

"  I  never  thought,"  he  said  with  a  sigh  of  resig 
nation,  "  that  I  'd  ever  be  pulled  round  by  a  girl. 
But  ye  seem  to  be  a  running  me  now,  Ruth,  and 
for  some  reason  I  ain't  able  to  gainsay  ye.  I  '11 


Captain  Shays. 

go,  ma'am.  It's  time  to  be  getting  to  work,  and 
I  dunno  as  it  does  any  good  to  set  here  a  worrying. 
Yes,"  he  went  on,  answering  her  question  of  some 
moments  before,  "  I  'm  feeling  a  bit  smarter 
to-day,  but  them  queer  feelings  is  in  my  head  yet. 
I  guess  the  air  '11  do  me  good.  Lock  the  shed  and 
barn.  I  don't  want  'em  taking  my  property  when 
I  ain't  here." 

"  They  would  n't  do  that,  father.  They  have  n't 
any  right  to.  You've  been  thinking  too  much, 
and  you  imagine  all  these  things.  Everything  is 
safe,  so  come  along." 

Her  father  obeyed  without  further  protest,  and 
they  walked  down  to  the  shop,  and  went  silently 
to  work.  In  truth,  there  was  not  much  to  be  done, 
for  the  business  of  the  forge  had  nearly  died  away, 
and  Deacon  Brown  often  sat  for  hours  peering  out 
of  the  window  in  rapt  thought.  When  any  one 
brought  a  horse  to  be  shod,  or  a  tire  to  be  set,  he 
would  go  about  it  in  a  half-hearted  way,  and  when 
it  was  done,  relapse  into  melancholy,  and  sit  and 
sit,  never  speaking  unless  spoken  to.  Ruth 
watched  him  constantly,  and  tried  to  cheer  him 
up,  with  but  little  success. 

They  had  been  in  this  position  for  half  an  hour 
or  more,  when  Ruth  suddenly  turned  her  head 
toward  the  door  and  listened.  She  heard  a  foot- 
124 


Captain  Shays. 

step  on  the  road,  and  instinctively  she  went  to  the 
door  and  looked  out.  She  uttered  a  little  exclama 
tion  of  surprise,  and  withdrew  into  the  shop  again. 
Her  father  noticed  it,  and  turning  quickly  said, 
with  more  animation  than  he  had  shown  for  some 
time  past,  — 

"  What  is  it,  Ruth  ?  Some  one  coming  ?  Why, 
ye  look  nervous,  girl." 

He  rose  and  started  to  go  to  the  door,  but 
before  he  reached  it  was  met  by  William  Perry, 
who  was  crossing  the  threshold,  hat  in  hand. 
Deacon  Brown  drew  back,  and  the  furrows  deep 
ened  and  his  mouth  contracted. 

"Good-morning,.  Mr.  Brown,  good-morning, 
ma'am,"  said  Perry,  bowing  first  to  the  deacon  and 
then  to  Ruth.  "  I  hope  I  'm  not  disturbing  you." 

"  Good-morning,  sir,"  answered  Brown,  shortly, 
while  Ruth  dropped  her  eyes  and  courte>sied. 
"  Does  your  mare  need  shoeing  again  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Perry,  assuming  a  pleasant  man 
ner.  "  I  'm  passing  through  here  again  on  my 
way  to  Springfield.'' 

"  Going  to  the  court,  I  suppose,"  said  Brown, 
trying  to  control  himself,  for  he  knew  the  young 
man's  profession.  "It  won't  do  ye  no  good. 
Dan  Shays  is  going  there  too,  and  '11  shut  'em  up, 
thank  the  Lord." 

125 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  'm  sorry,  Mr.  Brown,  that  you  feel  so  harshly 
toward  us  poor  lawyers,"  said  Perry,  with  a  little 
laugh.  "  We  're  much  like  other  humans,  and  at 
present  it  seems  to  me  that  we  have  about  as  hard 
a  time  of  it  as  any  one.  We  have  to  bear  the 
blame  for  all  the  ills  that  are  being  suffered,  and 
I  think  unjustly." 

Brown  stared  at  him,  and  his  face  grew  red  as  he 
answered  vehemently,  — 

"  What  do  ye  suffer  except  what  ye  deserve  ? 
I  know  what  ye  lawyers  are,  and  how  ye  make 
your  money,  and  how  ye  spend  it,  while  we  poor 
country  folks  are  starving.  Don't  come  here  to 
me,  sir,  to  make  any  excuses.  I  Ve  got  more  'n  I 
can  bear  now,  and  be  careful  how  ye  talk  to  me, 
for  my  patience  is  about  at  an  end." 

He  looked  at  Perry  savagely,  and  then  went  on  : 
"  I  Ve  had  more  'n  I  can  bear,  I  tell  ye,  and  I 
don't  want  to  be  troubled  with  anything  more." 

Perry  had  expected  something  of  this  kind,  and 
was  therefore  prepared  to  meet  it. 

"You  are  not  quite  fair,  Mr.  Brown,"  he  said 
pleasantly.  "  Listen  to  me,  sir,  and  I  '11  prove  to 
you  that  I  Ve  also  something  to  trouble  me.  I  Ve 
been  educated  as  a  lawyer,  and  I  Ve  no  other  way 
of  supporting  myself  than  at  the  bar.  Since  I  was 
a  child  I  Ve  been  alone,  without  parents  or  rela- 
126 


Captain  Shays. 

tions,  and  I  Ve  had  to  depend  upon  my  own  efforts 
to  secure  an  education,  and  my  livelihood.  You 
wish  me  to  be  deprived  of  my  only  means  of  sup 
porting  myself.  Is  that  right  ?  " 

Deacon  Brown  still  looked  at  him  as  before. 

"  That  all  sounds  very  pretty,  sir,  but  it  don't  do 
me  no  good.  Perhaps  ye  have  worked  hard,  and 
perhaps  ye  don't  know  anything  but  your  damnable 
business.  So  much  less  credit  to  ye,  sir.  Why 
don't  ye  give  it  up  and  take  to  some  honest  calling  ? 
A  lawyer  's  a  lawyer,  same  as  any  other  thief 's  a 
thief,  and  that  *s  all  to  it." 

Perry  controlled  himself,  for  he  really  began  to 
feel  angry. 

"  I  see  it 's  no  use  trying  to  convince  you,  Mr. 
Brown,  so  I  '11  come  directly  to  the  point  without 
any  further  discussion.  The  truth  is,  sir,  that  I  've 
come  to  see  you  on  a  matter  of  business  —  " 

He  stopped  short  at  the  low  cry  from  Ruth,  and 
at  the  expression  which  came  over  her  father's 
face.  It  grew  pale  as  death,  and  his  hands  began 
to  tremble  as  he  stared  into  William's  eyes. 

"  What  business  have  ye  with  me,  sir  ?  "  said  the 
blacksmith,  slowly,  in  a  hoarse  voice. 

Perry  made  another  effort  and  went  on,  — 

"  I  wrote  you  a  note  a  few  days  ago.  My  name 
is  Perry." 

127 


Captain  Shays. 

Brown  stared  at  him  another  moment,  then  the 
storm  which  had  been  pent  up  so  long  burst  forth 
in  all  its  fury.  He  clenched  his  great  fists  and 
raised  them  above  his  head.  His  face  and  arms 
grew  red,  and  the  veins  swelled  out  on  them.  His 
eyes  were  bloodshot,  and  his  voice  trembled  as  he 
said,  — 

"  Your  name  is  Perry,  and  ye  're  the  one  that 
wrote  me  about  them  notes,  are  ye?  Get  out  of 
my  shop  before  I  strangle  ye  or  put  the  red-hot 
iron  on  ye,  ye  rascally  little  thief !  Away  with  ye  ! 
Do  ye  suppose  I  'd  pay  ye  the  money  even  if  I  had 
it  ?  No !  No !  "  he  roared,  bringing  his  fists  to 
gether  with  a  loud  report. 

"  Ah,  father,  father  !  "  cried  Ruth,  coming  up  to 
him  and  taking  his  hands,  "  you  're  not  doing 
right  to  speak  so  and  get  so  angry.  The  gentle 
man  has  said  nothing  hard  to  you." 

"  Leave  me  be,  girl,"  he  said,  pushing  her  away. 
"  I  Ve  told  ye  that  I  could  n't  and  would  n't  pay 
them  notes,  and  I  mean  what  I  say." 

"  Mr.  Brown  —  "  began  Perry. 

"  Away  with  ye  quick,  or  I  can't  hold  back," 
said  the  blacksmith,  taking  a  step  forward,  and 
raising  his  fists  again. 

"  Very  well,  sir,"  answered  Perry,  quietly,  "  I 
came  here  intending  to  find  out  just  how  this 
128 


Captain  Shays. 

matter  stood  —  No,  listen  to  me  now,  for  I  Ve 
little  more  to  say  —  I  came  here  to  see  if  I  could 
not  help  you  in  some  way  to  make  a  settlement 
of  this  case  which  would  be  satisfactory  to  both 
parties;  but  you  have  given  me  no  chance  to  speak, 
and  have  done  nothing  but  heap  abuse  upon  me. 
You  are  a  comparatively  old  man,  and  in  the  pres 
ence  of  your  daughter,  so  I  '11  not  resent  it  other 
wise  than  in  what  I  shall  say.  I  'm  sorry  for  you, 
Mr.  Brown,  as  I  am  sorry  for  all  those  who  are  suf 
fering  under  the  burden  of  taxation  and  debt,  and 
I  therefore  forgive  your  unjust  censure  of  me  and 
my  profession.  God  knows  that  I  would  do  any 
thing  in  my  power  to  assist  you  and  others  like 
you,  and  make  it  more  easy  for  you  to  live.  But 
neither  I  nor  any  one  else  can  do  aught  so  long  as 
you  and  other  farmers  give  yourselves  up  to  your 
passions  and  prejudices,  and  follow  the  leadership 
of  such  men  as  Daniel  Shays,  who  think  of  no 
one's  good  but  their  own.  You  refuse  to  let  me 
speak  of  this  claim  against  you.  I  '11  not  do  so 
then,  but  will  let  the  law  take  its  course,  when,  had 
you  been  a  little  more  compromising  and  less 
bitter,  you  might  have  been  saved  this.  I  go  to 
Springfield,  and  come  back  this  way  in  about  ten 
days.  Because  I  feel  sorry  for  you  I  promise  you 
not  to  bring  suit  until  I  return  to  Boston.  If  you 
9  129 


Captain  Shays. 

change  your  mind  before  I  pass  through  Petersham 
again,  we  can  talk  matters  over  then;  if  not,  I 
must  do  as  the  law  directs,  and  as  is  required  of 
me  by  my  client.  Good-day,  sir.  Think  of  what  I 
have  said  to  you."  He  bowed  stiffly,  and  passing 
out  of  the  door  walked  quickly  toward  the  tavern. 

When  he  was  gone,  Deacon  Brown  sank  heavily 
on  the  stool,  and  putting  his  arm  on  the  bench  laid 
his  head  upon  it.  Ruth  went  quickly  up  to  him 
and  took  him  by  the  shoulder. 

"  Father,"  she  said,  her  eyes  full  of  tears, 
"you  did  n't  mean  to  do  it,  but  you  Ve  driven  away 
the  only  friend  we  had.  I  'm  going  up  to  the  house 
now.  Close  the  shop  and  come  with  me." 

Deacon  Brown  raised  his  head  and  looked  at 
her.  His  eyes  were  blood-shot  and  staring.  With 
out  a  word  he  picked  up  his  coat  and  hat,  and 
followed  her  up  over  the  mowing  and  into  the  shed. 
"  You  stay  here,  father.  I  'm  going  out  to  the 
barn  a  minute.  Bathe  your  head  and  lie  down  a 
spell.  Promise  me  you  won't  go  out  till  I  come 
back." 

"  I  'm  feeling  kind  of  tired,"  said  Brown.  "  Leave 
me  a  while,  and  I  '11  rest." 

Ruth  put  on  her  bonnet,  and  going  out  of  the 
shed  door,  ran  quickly  across  the  fields   in  the 
direction  of  Petersham  village. 
130 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

WILLIAM  PERRY  went  quickly  to  the  tavern 
and  ordered  his  horse.  For  the  first  time 
in  his  life  he  felt  excited,  and  for  the  first  time  the 
feeling  of  care  and  seriousness  did  not  leave  him 
as  he  mounted  Molly  and  started  round  the  bend 
of  the  road  toward  Petersham  village.  This 
whole  affair  had  made  a  profound  and  lasting 
impression  on  him  for  many  reasons.  He  had 
thought  this  blacksmith  prosperous,  and  when  he 
learned  his  mistake,  when  he  saw  how  this  man 
was  suffering,  a  new  picture  of  the  condition  of  the 
people  came  up  before  him.  He  had  been  aware 
that  there  was  much  distress,  but  not  that  it  was 
universal,  and  he  had  spoken  of  this  man  as  an 
exception  to  the  general  rule.  It  now  seemed  to 
him  that  if  Brown's  case  was  as  bad  as  it  appeared, 
there  must  indeed  be  still  more  cause  for  grum 
bling  than  he  had  hitherto  imagined. 

Another  thing  that  made  him  think  was  Ruth's 
careworn  face.     Since  he  saw  her  last  her  cheeks 


Captain  Shays. 

had  grown  pale,  her  bright  smile  had  been  super 
seded  by  a  sad  one,  and  her  large  brown  eyes  had 
grown  dull  and  listless.  It  was  such  a  short  time 
since  he  had  heard  her  merry  laugh  that  he  could 
not  quite  understand  whence  the  change  in  her 
came,  for  he  saw  clearly  that  her  father's  embar 
rassment  could  not  be  of  recent  beginning,  and  he 
thought  that  the  daughter  must  have  known  of  it  for, 
some  time  past.  As  he  climbed  the  hill  beyond 
the  blacksmith  shop,  he  pondered  matters  thus : 

"It's  too  bad,  but  what  can  I  do?  He's  un 
reasonable,  like  the  rest  of  them.  I  was  right  when 
I  told  him  that  we  lawyers  had  something  to  bear 
as  well  as  other  people  !  Were  I  to  refuse  all  hard 
cases  like  his,  how  could  I  live?  It's  about  all 
we  have  now." 

He  meditated  a  moment,  then  continued,  — 

"  I  've  really  no  right  to  postpone  action,  and  I 
don't  know  that  Ames  will  approve.  He  made  no 
mistake  when  he  told  me  to  beware  the  dairy-maid, 
for  it  was  her  appealing  looks  that  decided  me. 
If  she  had  n't  been  there,  I  'm  afraid  I  'd  have 
done  something  rash,  for  the  old  rascal  was  really 
insulting." 

He  had  now  reached  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  was 
beginning   to  descend   toward   the  bridge  by  the 
dam  and  the  saw-mill.     On  his  right  was  a  high 
132 


Captain  Shays. 

bank  crowned  by  a  thick  woods,  and  he  thought 
once  or  twice  that  he  heard  a  crackling  sound 
above  him,  and  involuntarily  his  hand  went  to  his 
pistol,  for  his  experiences  of  the  last  two  days  had 
taught  him  caution.  He  had  nearly  reached  the 
foot  of  the  hill  when  he  heard  a  louder  noise  than 
before,  and  turning  quickly,  he  saw  a  young  woman 
hurrying  through  the  trees  toward  the  road.  He 
stopped  short  and  lifted  his  hat.  Before  him  stood 
Ruth  Brown.  For  some  moments  neither  spoke. 
Then  Ruth  raised  her  eyes  and  said  hesitatingly, 
and  with  a  gasp,  — 

"  I  knew  you  'd  have  to  pass  this  way,  sir,  and 
I  Ve  run  down  to  speak  to  you."  Her  eyes 
dropped  again,  and  she  waited. 

"  You  really  startled  me,  Miss  Brown,"  answered 
Perry,  with  a  smile.  "  You  're  quite  out  of  breath. 
Rest  a  moment,  and  I  '11  dismount  and  let  Molly 
feed  by  the  roadside.  There." 

A  minute  later  Ruth  looked  up  again  and  said 
with  appealing  eyes,  — 

"  I  Ve  come  to  ask  you  not  to  be  too  hard  on 
poor  father,  sir.  He  is  n't  well,  and  I  don't  think 
he  meant  to  treat  you  as  he  did.  He 's  about 
broken-hearted." 

Perry  smiled,  and  tried  to  speak  naturally  as  he 
answered,  — 

133 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Miss  Brown,  I  know  as  well  as  you  do  how 
much  your  father  is  suffering,  and  I  '11  try  not  to 
press  him  too  hard.  My  duties  are  painful,  and  I 
fear  that  this  is  not  appreciated.  I  Ve  promised 
to  wait  until  my  return.  Is  this  not  enough  ?  " 

"  I  'm  afraid  not,  sir.  Supposing  the  man  who 
lent  him  the  money  comes  up  here  again  ?  It 
would  kill  my  father.  I  sometimes  think  his  mind 
is  going,  and  I  want  to  help  him  before  it 's  too 
late.  Isn't  there  anything  I  can  do  to  get  the 
money  for  him  ?  " 

Perry  looked  at  her,  and  an  expression  of  com 
passion  came  into  his  eyes  as  he  replied,  — 

"  He  ought  to  be  satisfied  to  have  so  brave  a 
daughter  as  you  are,  Miss  Brown.  But  three  hun 
dred  dollars  in  these  days  are  not  easy  to  get,  even 
for  a  hard-working  man.  But  you  need  not  worry 
about  Piper.  The  notes  are  here,"  he  went  on, 
tapping  his  pocket,  "and  without  them  there  is 
little  danger  of  his  coming  here.  I  can  advise  you 
how  to  help  your  father,  though.  Try  to  make 
him  see  that  I  'm  not  unjust,  and  make  him  speak 
with  me  when  I  come  back." 

Ruth  shook  her  head  sadly. 

"  It 's  no  use,  sir.     He  's  made  up  his  mind  that 
he  's  being  robbed,  and  I  Ve  tried  to  change  him. 
It 's  no  use.     Then  you  can  do  nothing  for  us  ?  " 
134 


Captain  Shays. 

Perry  hesitated.  He  saw  before  him  this  girl, 
so  lonely,  so  troubled,  and  he  did  not  know  what 
to  answer.  She  had  come  to  him  to  ask  his  help, 
and  his  tender  heart  was  touched.  But  what 
could  he  do?  One  of  the  leading  members  of 
the  bar  had  confided  to  his  care  the  interest  of 
a  client,  and  he  must  do  his  duty  at  whatever 
cost.  For  a  while  his  eyes  rested  on  the  mill, 
and  he  thought.  Then  he  turned  and  met  those  of 
the  girl,  and  a  feeling  of  indecision  came  over  him. 

"  Does  your  father  owe  much  besides  this  three 
hundred  dollars  ?  "  he  said,  suddenly. 

"  The  farm  is  mortgaged,  sir,  and  must  be  paid 
next  month." 

"  For  how  much  ?  " 

"  Five  hundred  dollars,  sir." 

"  And  how  much  is  the  farm  worth  ?  " 

"  Father  says  it's   worth   eight  hundred,   sir." 

Perry  was  silent  again.  The  girl  looked  at  him 
with  wide-open  eyes  as  if  expecting  him  to  speak. 
Finally  he  said,  — 

"  Will  you  trust  me,  Miss  Brown  ?  " 

"  I  '11  trust  you,  sir." 

"  Then  listen  carefully  to  what  I  tell  you.  I  '11 
write  to  my  client  to-night  that  these  notes  will  be 
paid.  Tell  your  father  this.  This  will  prevent 
any  chance  of  his  coming  to  you.  I  shall  be  back 


Captain  Shays. 

here  in  less  than  two  weeks  unless  Captain  Shays 
succeeds  in  putting  a  bullet  through  me  before 
then.  Perhaps  by  that  time  something  will  occur 
to  us,  and  we  may  be  able  then  to  make  a  settle 
ment.  In  the  mean  while  do  what  you  can  to  quiet 
your  father." 

The  tears  came  to  Ruth's  eyes,  and  Perry  looked 
down  toward  the  mill  again. 

"  You  are  very,  very  kind,"  said  the  girl,  going 
up  to  him  and  putting  out  her  hand. 

Perry  took  it,  and  said  gently,  — 

"  I  wish  I  could  do  more  for  you,  but  even  now 
I  'm  taking  a  responsibility  beyond  what  is  my 
right." 

"  I  thank  you  for  it,  and  I  know  you  '11  never 
repent  it.  As  for  father,  I  '11  try  to  make  him  see 
that  it 's  all  right.  I  hope  he  '11  understand." 

"  Miss  Brown,"  said  Perry,  abruptly,  "  you  have 
changed  much  since  I  saw  you  a  short  time  ago. 
Why  is  it?" 

"  It  was  only  after  you  went  away  that  he  told 
me  all  his  troubles.  It  has  been  very  hard  since 
then,  and  I  'm  tired.  I  shall  feel  better  now." 

"  Is  your  father  in  need  of  money  now  ?  " 

"  I  'm  afraid  he  is,  but  he  won't  tell  me,  and  says 
that  it 's  only  the  notes  and  mortgage  that 's  fret 
ting  him." 

136 


Captain  Shays. 

Perry  hesitated  again.  Finally  he  said,  rising 
and  going  up  to  the  mare,  which  was  browsing 
near  by,  — 

"  I  must  go  now,  for  my  time  's  short.  Keep  up 
a  brave  heart  until  I  come  back,  Miss  Brown,  and 
then  I  will  do  what  I  can  for  you." 

He  lifted  his  hat,  vaulted  into  the  saddle, 
and  rode  down  the  hill,  over  the  bridge,  and  on 
toward  the  village. 

Ruth  stood  looking  after  him  until  he  had  dis 
appeared  round  the  curve,  then  dropped  on  a 
stone,  and  covering  her  eyes  with  her  hands,  wept 
bitterly. 

"  Oh,  dear !  Oh,  dear  !  "  she  sobbed.  "  Father  '11 
never  listen  to  him,  and  won't  believe  me.  I  '11 
try  my  best,  though,"  she  went  on,  rising  and 
climbing  the  bank  toward  the  woods.  *'  I  Ve 
been  away  too  long  already,  and  father  '11  wonder 
where  I  am.  I  must  hurry  home."  She  walked 
rapidly  under  the  trees,  over  the  brook,  and  up 
the  mowing  toward  the  house.  It  was  after  ten 
o'clock  now,  and  the  day  was  very  hot,  and  Ruth 
very  tired.  At  last,  exhausted,  she  went  into  the 
kitchen  and  called  her  father,  — 

"  Father !  Father !  Where  are  you  ?  I  've  got 
good  news  for  you." 

There  was  no  answer. 

137 


Captain  Shays. 

"  He 's  down  to  the  shop,  I  guess.  I  '11  get 
dinner  ready  early,  for  I  don't  think  he'll  stop 
long  to-day." 

She  went  about  her  work  with  a  lighter  heart 
than  she  had  felt  for  some  time,  although  she 
could  not  explain  to  herself  why  it  was,  for  she 
had  really  little  hope  of  persuading  her  father. 
Yet  she  saw  a  ray  of  light,  and  thought  that  per 
haps,  after  all,  the  sky  would  clear.  When  dinner 
time  came  she  set  the  table,  and  then  strolled  out 
to  the  door  to  wait. 

"  He 's  late,"  she  thought,  not  seeing  him  coming 
up  the  road  or  over  the  field.  "  I  guess  I  '11 
run  down  and  meet  him.  He  can't  be  long 
now." 

When  she  got  about  half-way  down  the  mowing 
she  stopped  and  waited  again. 

"  He  ought  to  be  coming  by  this  time.  He 's 
never  as  late  as  this,"  she  thought. 

She  started  on  a  run  and  was  soon  at  the  door  of 
the  smithy.  It  was  locked.  She  hurried  round  to 
the  window  and  looked  in.  The  shop  was  empty, 
and  she  knew  by  the  forge  and  the  position  of  the 
hammer  that  her  father  had  not  been  there.  A 
sudden  fright  seized  her,  and  she  called  out,  — 

"  Father !  Father !    Where  are  you  ?  " 

Then  she  listened  a  moment,  turned,  and  ran  up 

133 


Captain  Shays. 

the  hill  toward  the  barn.  Her  heart  was  beating 
violently  as  she  opened  the  barn-door  and  again 
called,  — 

"  Father !  come  in,  dinner  's  ready." 

There  was  no  response  save  the  chirp  of  the 
swallows  sailing  in  and  out  above  her.  She  went 
in  and  looked  about.  All  at  once  she  gave  a  great 
cry. 

"  The  horse  is  gone,  and  the  saddle  and  bridle. 
What 's  he  doing  ?  Where  's  he  gone  to  ? " 

Suddenly  she  stopped  and  laughed  nervously. 

"  It 's  after  me  that  he  's  gone.  Why  did  n't  I 
think  of  it  ?  I  told  him  I  'd  only  be  away  a  minute, 
and  stayed  over  an  hour.  How  silly  I  am.  But  I 
do  feel  so  tired  and  weak.  I  '11  go  into  the  house 
and  wait  and  rest  a  bit.  I  ought  n't  to  have  stayed 
so  long,  and  worried  him." 

She  returned  to  the  house,  and  sitting  down  by 
the  kitchen-table  rested  her  head  on  her  arm. 

"  I  knew  he  was  kind  and  would  try  to  help 
us,  the  first  time  I  saw  him,"  she  said  half  aloud. 
"  Perhaps  the  ride  will  do  father  good,  and  he  may 
be  more  reasonable  when  he  comes  back." 

She  started  at  every  sound,  and  finally  got  up 
and  passed  out  of  the  door  and  looked  up  and 
down  the  road. 

"  He  ought  to  be  back  before  this,  though,"  she 
139 


Captain  Shays. 

thought.     "He  knows  I  would  n't  stay  after  din 
ner-time." 

Then  she  went  into  the  kitchen  again  and  fed 
the  fire.  The  minutes  and  hours  passed  by,  and 
still  Ruth  waited.  At  last  she  put  on  her  bonnet, 
and  walked  rapidly  down  the  hill  toward  the 
tavern. 


140 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

"  Q  AMU  EL,"  said  Jerry  Piper,  looking  up  from 

O  between  the  leaves  of  a  large  volume  he 
was  examining  carefully,  "  has  the  post  come  yet  ?  " 

There  was  a  sudden  snort  from  the  front  room, 
and  the  sound  of  the  forelegs  of  a  chair  striking 
the  floor.  Then  a  thick  voice  answered,  — 

"  Did  you  speak,  Mr.  Piper?     I  was  thinking." 

"  You  were  asleep,  you  rascal,"  squeaked  Piper, 
clapping  the  book  together  and  rising.  "  Yes,  I 
did  speak.  Has  the  post  arrived  ?  " 

"  No,  it  ain't,  Mr.  Piper." 

"  How  do  you  know  it  has  n't,  Samuel,  snoring 
away  there  like  a  volcano  ?  They  might  rob  me 
of  everything  if  I  was  n't  here  to  watch." 

"  I  've  been  watching  carefully,  Mr.  Piper,  and 
the  post  ain't  come." 

"  Those  notes  of  Brown's  were  due  last  Friday, 
Samuel,  and  I  Ve  had  no  word  about  them.  I  '11 
have  to  go  up  again  if  I  don't  hear  soon.  How 
141 


Captain  Shays. 

am  I  to  leave  if  you  don't  mend  your  ways,  Samuel  ? 
I  can't  trust  you." 

"  Have  n't  you  trusted  me  before,  Mr.  Piper,  and 
have  you  ever  lost  by  it?"  answered  his  clerk, 
looking  at  him  with  his  little  red  eyes. 

"Yes,  I  have  trusted  you.  But  you're  getting 
worse  and  worse,  and  these  are  dangerous  times. 
I  '11  have  to  risk  it,  though,  if  I  don't  hear  soon. 
I  had  no  business  to  give  the  notes  to  that  young 
lawyer.  I  '11  wait  until  to-morrow,  and  if  I  don't 
hear  by  then,  I  '11  go  myself.  Wake  up,  Samuel, 
for  I  'm  going  out  for  an  hour." 

He  went  back  into  the  rear  room,  took  his  hat 
and  cane,  and  hobbled  out  of  the  door  and  down 
the  street.  After  he  was  gone,  Samuel  stretched 
himself,  rubbed  his  eyes,  got  up  and  waddled  to 
the  door  and  watched  his  master  until  he  turned 
the  corner  and  was  out  of  sight.  Then  he  went 
back,  sat  down,  and  taking  out  a  pipe  and  flint, 
began  to  smoke. 

"  I  don't  get  no  comfort  these  days,"  he  mut 
tered  as  he  tipped  back  in  his  chair  and  blew  the 
smoke  from  him.  "  He  's  getting  awful  particular 
lately.  I  '11  make  the  most  of  this  hour,  anyway." 
He  settled  himself  back  and  closed  his  eyes.  He 
had  scarcely  done  so,  when  he  was  roused  by 
some  one  entering  the  door ;  and  opening  his  eyes 
142 


Captain  Shays. 

quickly  he  saw  before  him  a  large  man  with  bris 
tling  red  beard  and  hair,  and  wild,  staring  eyes. 

"  Where  's  Mr.  Piper  ?  "  said  the  stranger,  look 
ing  about  the  shop  hurriedly. 

"  He  's  just  gone  out,  sir.  I  'm  his  clerk,  and 
can  attend  to  all  his  business  when  he 's  away. 
What  is  it  ? ' 

"  I  want  to  see  Piper,  I  tell  ye.  When  '11  he 
be  back  ?  Where 's  he  gone  to  ?  " 

"  In  less  than  an  hour.  I  don't  know  where  he 
has  gone  to." 

"  He  ain't  gone  out  of  town,  has  he  ?  "  asked  the 
newcomer,  eying  Samuel  suspiciously.  "  Be 
careful  and  tell  the  truth.  I  ain't  taking  no  lies 
from  no  one  to-day.  He  ain't  gone  to  Peters 
ham  ?  " 

Samuel  bounded  like  a  rubber  ball. 

"  No,  Mr.  Brown,  he  ain't.  He  '11  be  back  soon, 
and  he  's  kind  of  expecting  you,  I  guess.  Jest 
take  a  chair,"  and  he  pushed  forward  one  of  the 
weary-looking  pieces  of  furniture. 

Deacon  Brown  covered  him  with  his  bloodshot 
eyes,  and  the  furrows  between  them  deepened. 

"  How  'd  ye  know  who  I  was  ?  Who  told  ye 
who  I  was  ? "  he  answered,  going  up  to  Samuel 
and  clapping  his  big  hand  on  the  clerk's  shoulder. 
"  Tell  me,  quick,  or  I  '11  shake  the  life  out  of  ye." 


Captain  Shays. 

"  You  told  me  yourself,  sir,"  groaned  the  man, 
trying  to  pull  away  from  the  blacksmith's  iron 
grasp. 

"  No,  I  did  n't  neither,"  answered  Brown,  giving 
him  a  shake.  "  Out  with  it,  quick.  I  ain't  taking 
no  more  nonsense  from  ye  thieves  down  here." 

"  You  said  Petersham,"  gasped  Samuel,  in 
despair.  "  You  're  pinching  me,  sir,  and  I  'm 
telling  you  the  truth.  I  knew  that  Mr.  Piper  had 
only  one  customer  in  Petersham,  and  that  he  was 
expecting  to  hear  about  —  " 

"  About  what  ? "  said  Deacon  Brown,  giving 
him  a  more  vigorous  shake  than  before. 

"  About  some  business  between  you,"  whined 
the  man. 

"  Oh ! "  said  Brown,  letting  go  the  frightened 
Samuel's  arm.  "  Well,  I  guess  I  '11  wait.  Ye  're 
sure  he  '11  be  back  ?  If  he  ain't  I  '11  take  it  out  of 
ye  instead,"  and  he  sat  down  heavily,  rolling  his 
eyes  about  the  room.  Every  few  minutes  he 
glanced  at  the  door,  and  moved  impatiently,  mut 
tering  to  himself.  In  the  mean  while  Samuel  had 
stolen  quietly  into  the  back  room,  whence  he 
watched  his  visitor  with  apprehension.  Deacon 
Brown  had  been  seated  with  eyes  and  ears  strained 
in  the  direction  of  the  lane  for  nearly  half  an  hour, 
when  a  shadow  appeared  outside  the  door,  and  the 
144 


Captain  Shays. 

next  moment  the  lean,  bent  figure  of  the  money 
lender  passed  through  it.  The  blacksmith  jumped 
to  his  feet,  and  Jerry  stopped  short  and  stared  at 
him.  The  next  instant  he  recovered  himself,  and 
removing  his  hat,  said  in  his  shrill  voice,  — 

"  Good-morning,  Mr.  Brown.  I  'm  pleased  to 
see  you,  and  was  thinking  of  going  up  to  pay  you 
a  visit." 

"Ye  was,  was  ye?"  answered  Brown,  with  a 
scowl ;  "  well,  I  guess  it 's  jest 's  well  ye  did  n't, 
for  I  ain't  receiving  company  jest  now.  Your 
friend  come  and  got  off  with  a  whole  skin,  more  's 
the  pity.  I  come  down  to  see  ye  about  them  notes. 
What  are  ye  going  to  do  about  'em  ? " 

Piper  looked  up  and  raised  his  eyebrows  with 
an  expression  of  surprise. 

"  Ah,  yes,  I  remember,  Mr.  Brown.  They  're 
overdue,  ain't  they?  I  thought  so,  Mr.  Brown, 
but  I've  so  much  on  my  mind  that  I  didn't 
remember." 

"Ye  didn't  remember!  Well,  ye  had  'em 
enough  on  your  mind  to  send  that  'ere  sneaking 
little  lawyer  up  after  'em.  What  are  ye  going  to 
do  about  'em  ?  " 

"  I  'm  very  sorry,  Mr.  Brown,"  said  Piper,  per 
suasively,  "to   trouble  you  about  this  matter.     I 
am  pressed  for  money  just  now." 
10  145 


Captain  Shays. 

11  Are  ye,"  snarled  Brown,  looking  down  on  him 
fiercely.  "So'm  I,  and  if  one  of  us  has  got  to 
wait,  I  guess  you'll  do's  well  as  me.  Pressed 
for  money !  are  ye  ?  I  ain't  seen  more  'n  twenty- 
seven  dollars  for  six  months,  and  ye  '11  have  to 
wait  whether  ye  like  it  or  no.  If  ye  send  any 
more  of  them  blood-suckers  up  to  me,  I  '11  strangle 
'em  same  's  I  would  a  hen.  Now  jest  tell  me  what 
ye  intend  doing." 

Brown's  manner  was  wild,  and  startled  Jeremiah, 
but  he  kept  the  expression  of  surprise  on  his  face, 
and  answered  with  the  same  precision, — 

"  I  'm  sorry,  very  sorry,  sir,  but  I  'm  a  poor  man, 
a  very  poor  man,  and  I  've  already  extended  your 
loan.  I  have  to  protect  myself  in  these  times, 
sir.  I  don't  want  to  do  anything  hard,  sir,  so  if 
you'll  —  " 

"  Well,  if  I  '11  what  ?  Speak  up  quick.  I  ain't 
got  no  time  to  lose  a- talking  with  ye." 

"  I  was  going  to  say,"  continued  Piper,  slowly, 
"  that  if  you'd  give  me  a  deed  of  the  farm  I  'd  let 
the  notes  and  interest  go." 

Deacon  Brown  clenched  his  fists,  and  his  face 
grew  purple  as  he  went  up  to  the  cringing  figure 
before  him. 

"Ye '11  — ye '11  do  what?"  he  screamed,  taking 
the  now  terrified  man  by  the  sleeve  of  his  coat. 
146 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Ye  '11  do  what,  ye  little  withered  up  scorpion  ? 
Take  a  deed?  Set  down  in  that  chair,"  he  went 
on,  swinging  the  money-lender  round  so  that  he 
spun  like  a  top  toward  the  chair  in  the  corner,  "  I 
want  to  talk  to  ye,  and  I  want  ye  to  listen  to  me 
careful,  and  not  answer  me  till  I  get  through. 
Ye  Ve  got  two  mortgages  on  my  farm,  and  they 
don't  come  due  till  next  month.  Ye  Ve  got  them 
notes,  and  ye  've  been  a-trying  to  make  me  believe 
they 's  for  interest.  Three  hundred  dollars'  interest 
for  two  years  on  five  hundred.  Ye  're  a  damned 
thief,  sir,  and  I  ain't  going  to  pay  'em." 

The  little  man  crouched  back  in  his  chair  and 
tried  to  smile. 

"You're  too  hard  on  a  poor  man,  Mr.  Brown," 
he  said,  with  a  villanous  look  in  his  little  black  eyes. 
"  I  Ve  been  very  easy  on  you,  very  easy,  and  I  Ve 
already  renewed  the  notes  twice.  My  lawyer  has 
'em  now,  and  I  can't  do  anything  more  about 
'em." 

The  blacksmith  brought  his  fist  down  on  the 
table,  and  watches,  pistols,  and  Jerry,  all  bounded 
into  the  air  simultaneously.  A  dark  figure  rolled 
by  them  and  out  into  the  lane.  It  was  Samuel, 
whose  nerves  had  given  out,  and  who  was  making 
a  wild  plunge  toward  a  haven  of  refuge.  Then 
Deacon  Brown  stepped  up  to  the  trembling  Piper, 


Captain  Shays. 

and  lifting  him  out  of  the  chair  with  one  hand,  set 
him  on  his  feet  in  front  of  him. 

"  Give  me  them  notes,"  he  bellowed,  steadying 
the  man  by  the  shoulder. 

"  I  can't,  Mr.  Brown.  Mr.  Perry's  got  'em, 
and  —  " 

"  Then  give  me  a  writing  saying  they  're  paid," 
said  the  other,  still  steadying  him. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  what  I  '11  do,  Mr.  Brown,"  said 
Jerry,  looking  up  at  him  timidly.  "  If  you  '11  give 
me  a  new  note  for  three  hundred  dollars,  I  '11  give 
you  a  receipt  cancelling  the  old  ones.  This  is 
very  fair,  very  fair." 

Brown  let  go  his  arm,  and  thought  a  moment; 
then  he  said,  passing  his  hand  over  his  face,  — 

"  I  dunno  but  that  '11  do.  Make  up  them  papers, 
and  I  '11  set  here  while  ye  're  doing  it." 

With  a  sigh  of  relief  Jerry  ran  into  the  back 
room,  and  was  soon  scratching  vigorously  with  a 
pen.  A  little  later  he  came  back,  and  handed  two 
papers  to  the  blacksmith. 

"  There  they  are,  sir,"  he  said. 

Deacon  Brown  took  them,  rubbed  his  eyes,  and 
held  them  out  at  arms'  length.  Finally  he  got  up, 
and  going  to  the  light  by  the  door  examined  them 
again.  Then  he  said,  — 


148 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Them  seem  all  right.  I  '11  put  'em  in  my 
pocket,  and  go  along." 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  Piper,  anxiously,  "  but  I  keep 
the  note,  you  know.  You  have  n't  signed  it." 

"  Ah  !  well,  jest  give  me  a  pen.  There,  let 's  see, 
'due  22d  October,  1786.'  Well,  I  guess  that'll 
do,"  he  went  on,  putting  the  receipt  in  his  pocket. 
"  By  the  time  them 's  due,  Dan  Shays  '11  have 
cleaned  out  them  courts,  and  we  '11  have  a  new 
government.  I  Ve  handled  ye  kind  of  rough,  Mr. 
Piper,  but  I  ain't  sure  but  I  'd  'a'  killed  ye  if  ye 
had  n't  done  as  I  said.  If  ye  or  your  lawyers  ever 
come  up  to  Petersham  again,  it  '11  be  the  end  of  ye 
both.  They  're  waiting  for  ye  along  the  road,  and 
it  ain't  safe  travelling  jest  now.  Good-day,  Mr. 
Piper,  I  Ve  got  to  git  along  now." 

"  Good-morning,  sir,"  squeaked  Piper,  as  Brown 
disappeared  out  of  the  door.  Then  he  said,  his 
little  eyes  snapping,  "  I  Ve  got  him  now,  sure. 
The  receipt  ain't  any  good,  and  I  Ve  got  his 
notes  for  six  hundred  dollars.  He,  he  !  "  he  laughed 
as  he  retired  to  the  back  room.  Presently  a  round 
object  appeared  in  the  doorway. 

"  Is  he  gone  ? "  said  Samuel,  out  of  breath. 

"  Yes,  you  coward.  Where  Ve  you  been  ?  I  '11 
get  you  out  of  the  way  if  you  have  n't  more 
courage." 

149 


Captain  Shays. 

li  I  was  n't  afraid,  Mr.  Piper,"  said  Samuel,  in 
an  injured  tone.  "  You  said  you  wanted  the  post, 
and  I  Ve  been  after  it.  There  's  a  letter  for 
you." 

Piper  snatched  the  letter  from  him,  looked  it 
all  over,  and  then  broke  it  open.  He  glued  his 
nose  to  it,  and  as  he  read,  he  began  to  twitch 
nervously.  Then  he  read  it  again  and  smiled. 
Then  he  twitched  again,  and  looking  up,  scratched 
the  end  of  his  nose. 

"  Samuel,"  he  said,  "  here  's  a  letter  from  that 
young  idiot,  Perry,  saying  the  notes  are  paid. 
That  old  Brown  says  they  ain't,  and  won't  be. 
What  do  you  make  out  of  it  ?  " 

Samuel  blinked,  adjusted  his  spectacles,  took 
the  letter  and  read  it. 

"  It 's  queer,  sir,"  he  said  after  he  had  finished. 
"  If  he  'd  paid  'em,  he  would  n't  have  made  all  this 
fuss." 

"  Samuel,  I  'm  going  out  again.  I  '11  have  to 
get  a  new  lawyer.  This  one's  cheating  me." 

He  took  his  hat  and  cane,  and  was  soon  hobbling 
down  the  lane. 


•50 


CHAPTER   XV. 

WILLIAM  PERRY  rode  on  up  the  hill  toward 
Petersham  village,  absorbed  in  thought, 
and  never  turning  his  head  until  he  reached  the 
steep  piece  of  road  leading  to  the  village  green. 
Here  he  paused  a  minute  and  looked  back  over 
the  tops  of  the  pines  across  the  valley,  where  he 
could  see  Deacon  Brown's  farm,  near  the  summit 
of  the  opposite  hill,  the  house  and  barn  standing 
out  clearly  against  the  blue  line  of  the  pine-clad 
forest  beyond.  Perry  had  neither  whistled  nor 
sung  that  morning.  Nor  had  he  smiled,  save  when 
speaking  to  Ruth,  and  then  only  to  give  her 
courage,  and  make  her  believe  that  matters  were 
more  hopeful  than  they  seemed.  His  accustomed 
mirth  and  buoyancy  of  spirits  were  for  the  time 
weighed  down  by  his  reflections  on  what  he  had 
learned  in  the  last  few  hours,  and  it  was  with  a 
heavy  heart  that  he  drank  in  the  pretty  picture 
before  him. 


Captain  Shays. 

"  It 's  too  bad,  too  bad,"  he  thought,  as  his  eyes 
wandered  over  the  forests  and  fields.  "  Why  must 
these  poor  people  be  made  to  bear  all  the  burdens  ? 
And  yet,"  and  he  turned  about  and  started  up  toward 
the  meeting-house,  "  there  are  others  who  have  to 
suffer.  It 's  all  a  question  of  degree.  Those  whose 
burdens  are  the  heaviest  sometimes  bear  them 
best." 

As  he  passed  the  green,  a  few  men  were  stand 
ing  near  by,  talking.  Otherwise  all  was  quiet. 
Perry  scarcely  saw  the  town,  so  much  was  his 
mind  occupied  with  his  own  thoughts.  As  he 
descended  the  road  to  the  west,  he  began  musing 
again :  — 

"  I  '11  write  Piper  to-night  that  the  notes  will  be 
paid,  and  they  will  be  if  I  have  to  do  it  myself. 
But  the  old  miser  will  have  to  pay  me  a  good 
round  fee,  and  something  will  be  saved  from 
the  wreck." 

This  last  thought  brought  the  trace  of  a  smile, 
the  first  of  that  morning. 

"  That  had  n't  occurred  to  me  before,"  he  went 
on.  "Why  shouldn't  I  take  it  out  of  him?  It 
would  be  only  justice." 

For  some  time  after  this  the  road  was  rough  and 
steep,  and  he  was  obliged  to  concentrate  his  atten 
tion  on  the  mare. 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Steady,  Molly,  old  girl.  I  '11  give  you  a  good 
rest  to-night.  Here  are  two  roads ;  which  shall  I 
take  ?  "  he  pondered,  stopping  and  looking  about 
him.  "  I  don't  feel  much  like  meeting  any  of  those 
vagabonds  to-day,  and  I  guess  I  '11  go  round  over 
the  hill  to  the  left.  It  may  be  a  hard  way,  but 
it 's  less  likely  to  be  travelled  by  Master  Shays' 
friends." 

He  was  before  long  climbing  a  steep  grass-grown 
bridle-path,  over  the  western  slope  of  a  cone-shaped 
hill  densely  wooded.  Below,  to  the  right,  he  could 
see  a  valley  dipping  to  the  southwest,  and  he  knew 
that  if  the  path  kept  on,  it  must  eventually  bring 
him  to  the  main  road  leading  to  New  Salem,  over 
which  he  had  ridden  on  his  return  to  Boston.  It 
was  getting  toward  noon,  and  the  sun  beat  down 
upon  him,  so  that  when  he  saw  the  thick  over 
hanging  pines  in  front  of  him,  he  was  glad  that 
he  had  chosen  the  way,  notwithstanding  its  diffi 
culties.  At  last  he  began  to  descend  again,  and 
soon  the  highway  came  in  sight  through  the  trees 
below  him.  He  was  moving  along  quietly,  think 
ing  still  of  Ruth  and  her  father,  when  his  atten 
tion  was  attracted  to  voices  not  far  from  him,  and 
apparently  in  front  of  him.  He  stopped  and  lis 
tened,  and  being  protected  by  a  bend  in  the  bridle 
path,  and  shaded  by  the  overhanging  branches, 
'S3 


Captain  Shays. 

he  sat  quietly  and  waited  for  the  men  to  pass 
along  the  highway,  for  he  was  convinced  that  they 
were  there,  headed  in  the  direction  in  which  he 
intended  going.  Soon  he  could  distinguish  words 
and  hear  the  voices  plainly.  One  which  he  seemed 
to  recognize  was  saying,  — 

"  Yes,  Abe,  the  other  two,  Day  and  Shaw,  was 
hit ;  I  wasn't,  'cause  I  did  n't  like  the  looks  of  him, 
and  got  out.  I  ain't  got  no  right  to  take  risks, 
with  others  depending  on  me." 

"That's  the  little  fellow  that  ran  away  yester 
day,"  thought  Perry,  as  he  peered  down  through  the 
trees,  "  and  the  other  don't  look  much  more  dan 
gerous.  I  guess  I  '11  let  'em  go  on,  though,  for  I 
don't  care  for  their  company.  They  might  lead 
me  into  a  trap." 

He  waited  until  the  voices  had  died  away,  then 
spoke  to  Molly,  and  went  out  onto  the  road  to 
ward  New  Salem.  Another  descent  brought  him 
to  a  level  plain,  through  which  he  continued  to 
Millington  village.  Here  he  sought  out  the  inn, 
ordered  dinner,  and  secured  a  room. 

It  was  now  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  but 
Perry  had  been  through  a  great  deal  lately,  and 
his  mare  had  had  a  hard  road  to  travel,  so  he  de 
cided  to  remain  quietly  where  he  was  until  morn 
ing.  Besides,  he  had  the  letter  to  write  to  Piper. 


Captain  Shays. 

Whether  it  would  ever  reach  its  destination  he  did 
not  know,  for  Shays'  men  had  more  than  once  an 
ticipated  the  post,  both  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  in 
formation  of  the  movements  of  government,  and  to 
secure,  if  possible,  such  funds  as  would  be  likely 
to  pass  by  this  medium.  There  being  no  other 
means  of  reaching  the  money-lender,  he  deter 
mined  to  take  the  risk,  and  wrote  as  he  had  prom 
ised.  His  room  was  under  the  gable,  facing  the 
main  thoroughfare ;  and  as  he  sat  writing  he  could 
hear  the  sound  of  the  passers-by,  and  of  the  men 
who  gathered  about  the  corner  as  they  talked,  or 
called  to  each  other  and  to  those  who  went  by.  It 
was  very  warm,  and  he  had  opened  the  window  to 
let  in  the  cooling  breeze  that  came  down  the  valley 
over  the  plain,  and  when  his  letter  was  signed 
and  sealed,  he  walked  across  the  room  and  looked 
out  of  the  window.  He  drew  back  suddenly,  for 
directly  below  him  were  two  men.  One  had  his 
right  hand  bound  with  a  cloth,  and  was  speaking 
and  gesticulating  violently.  The  other  was  listen 
ing  attentively.  Perry  knew  them,  and  could  hear 
their  conversation. 

"  If  you  run  again  like  that,  you  little  coward," 

the  older  man  was  saying,  "you  ain't  no  good  for 

a  soldier,  and  that 's  what  we   want.     The   first 

time  you  seen   any  fighting,  is  it  ?     Guess  you  '11 

J55 


Captain  Shays. 

see  some  before  long,  for  there  's  a  company  of 
militia  about  fifteen  mile  behind  us,  and  if  the  rest 
don't  move  any  faster  than  you  and  your  friend, 
they  '11  be  a-top  of  us  before  we  get  out  of  this 
town.  Wake  up  and  get  to  work,  or  you  can  go 
back  to  Petersham." 

"  Petersham,"  thought  Perry.  "  Upon  my  word, 
that  brings  it  to  me.  That 's  the  boy  who  was 
helping  old  Brown  when  I  had  Molly  shod.  I 
should  think  he  would  be  glad  to  be  rid  of  him." 
He  strained  his  ears  and  listened  again.  Jimmy 
was  speaking,  — 

"  I  ain't  used  to  these  things,  Cap'n  Day,"  he 
said,  "  but  I  ain't  afeared.  The  reason  I  did  n't 
want  to  shoot  again  was  that  I  kind  of  recognized 
the  gentleman.  He  was  in  the  shop  a  little  while 
ago  and  had  his  horse  shod,  and  I  did  n't  want  to 
hurt  him." 

Captain  Day  laughed. 

"  You  're  good  at  making  excuses,  boy,  but  we  '11 
forgive  ye  this  time,  only  don't  do  it  again. 
What's  the  news  about  this  place?  Got  any 
recruits  here  ? " 

"  There 's  about  twenty-five  come  in  here  this 
morning,  and  they're  waiting  for  ye,  cap'n." 

"  Jest  you  get  on  your  horse  and  go  and  get  'em 
together  and  bring  ;em  down  this  way.  We  '11  go 


Caftain  Shays. 

on  to  Shutesbury  this  afternoon ;  and  if  them 
militia  fellows  don't  move  on  as  far  as  that  to-day, 
we  '11  spend  the  night  there.  When  we  're  gone, 
you  and  your  friend  go  into  the  tavern  here  and 
wait,  and  as  soon  as  them  other  chaps  get  here, 
find  out  what  they're  going  to  do,  and  ride  as 
fast  as  you  can  after  us  and  let  us  know.  No 
sneaking,  now  mind,  or  I  '11  hand  ye  to  Cap'n 
Shays,  and  he  won't  be  as  easy  with  ye  as  I  Ve 
been." 

Jimmy  mounted  the  old  farm-horse  which  he  had 
been  holding  by  the  bridle ;  and  Perry  could  see 
him  galloping  up  the  road,  his  legs  kicking  out 
and  his  body  bouncing  forward  in  accompaniment 
to  the  horse's  clumsy  gait.  Day  watched  him  a 
moment  with  an  amused  smile,  then  mounted  his 
own  horse  and  followed  leisurely. 

"  This  is  more  like  business,"  thought  William, 
as  he  returned  to  the  table  and  picked  up  his  letter. 
"  If  the  militia  's  coming,  my  letter  '11  be  likely  to 
get  to  Boston,  and  I  can  join  them  and  reach 
Springfield  with  comparative  comfort.  I  '11  run 
down  and  get  the  letter  started,  and  then  hurry 
back,  for  I  don't  want  to  lose  the  sight  of  Captain 
Day  and  his  troops,  and  they  won't  be  long 
coming." 

He  went  out  of  the  door,  and  in  a  few  minutes 

157 


Captain  Shays. 

returned  and  took  his  post  at  the  window,  shaded 
by  a  hanging  curtain.  By  this  time  the  street  was 
lined  with  people,  —  men,  women,  and  children;  and 
it  was  evident  that  with  very  few  exceptions  they 
were  sympathizers  of  the  rebels.  Perry  examined 
them  as  he  sat,  and  his  tender  heart  was  touched. 

u  How  poor  and  forlorn  they  do  look ! "  he 
thought.  "  That  old  fellow  with  a  gray  beard, 
leaning  on  a  cane,  is  half  starved,  and  the  old 
woman  in  the  ragged  shawl  and  big  bonnet  is  n't 
much  better.  Even  the  young  people  seem  worn 
and  hungry.  And  this  is  our  great,  free,  happy 
people ;  the  offspring  of  our  struggle  for  inde 
pendence  ! " 

Just  then  there  was  a  bustling  in  the  crowd,  and 
all  eyes  were  turned  up  the  road  in  the  direction  of 
the  sound  of  tramping  horses. 

"  They  're  coming.  Hi !  "  screamed  the  old 
woman  in  the  big  bonnet  into  the  old  man's  ear. 
"  Ain't  they  jest  splendid  ?  And  there  Js  our  boy. 
Don't  he  look  like  General  Washington  on  the 
horse  ?  He 's  going  to  fight  for  our  rights.  Hi ! 
ain't  he  a  soldier  ?  " 

The  old  man  looked  up  the  street,  and  nodded 
his  head  slowly  backward  and  forward.  The 
cavalcade  had  now  come  in  sight,  and  Perry's  face 
expanded,  and  for  the  first  time  that  day  a  genu- 

158 


Captain  Shays. 

ine  hearty  laugh  broke  forth  from  him.  He  could 
not  help  it,  much  as  the  whole  scene  elicited  his 
sympathies.  There,  coming  down  the  street 
between  the  admiring  and  cheering  citizens,  was  a 
mounted  force  of  about  twenty  men,  at  their  head 
the  indomitable  Captain  Day,  seated  erect  upon  a 
dapple-gray  horse,  whose  appearance  indicated  his 
recent  employment  in  the  tread-mill.  His  hoofs 
struck  the  ground  with  the  force  of  Deacon 
Brown's  hammer,  and  his  head  hung  low.  Cap 
tain  Day  himself  wore  an  expression  of  grandeur 
and  repose.  He  was  dressed  in  the  continental 
uniform  of  his  rank,  showing  signs  of  many  battles 
and  much  use.  On  his  head  was  a  venerable 
cocked  hat,  and  in  his  bandaged  hand  he  held 
his  bare  sabre  straight  up  over  his  shoulder.  He 
looked  neither  to  right  nor  left,  but  rode  bravely 
on,  unaffected  by  the  applause  he  was  receiving. 

Behind  him  came  his  gallant  company.  It  was 
composed  of  old  and  young,  short  and  long,  thin 
and  stout.  Their  costumes  were  of  every  kind 
and  shade,  from  the  simple  gray  homespun  to  the 
shabby  blue  velvet  coat  and  scarlet  small-clothes. 
Their  arms  were  as  varied  as  their  clothes,  some 
carrying  sabres,  others  muskets,  pistols,  or  rapiers, 
while  one  had  no  other  weapon  than  a  heavy  oaken 
billet  which  he  swung  defiantly  around  his  head. 
'59 


Captain  Shays. 

But  what  amused  Perry  more  than  all  these  eccen 
tricities  was  the  horses  and  their  riders.  Like  the 
men,  their  steeds  were  short  and  stout,  long  and 
lean.  But,  as  if  predestined  by  fate,  the  thin  horses 
groaned  under  their  portly  burdens,  and  the  thin 
sat  upon  the  fat. 

As  the  cavalcade  passed  the  tavern,  Captain 
Day  wheeled  suddenly  about  and  shouted  in  a 
stentorian  voice,  — 

"  Halt !     Attention !  " 

The  order  was  obeyed,  but  not  without  some 
confusion,  and  danger  to  life  and  limb.  The  cap 
tain  came  near  being  trampled  under  foot,  but  at 
last  the  company  righted  itself,  and  Captain  Day 
spoke. 

"  Soldiers,"  he  said,  "  the  hour  is  near  when 
you  '11  be  called  upon  to  fight  for  your  rights  and 
your  homes." 

There  was  a  faint  murmur  of  approval,  and  the 
captain  looked  them  over,  unmoved. 

"  Whoa,  Bess.  I  was  saying  the  time 's  near 
for  battle.  Cap'n  Shays  is  waiting  for  ye  at 
Pelham.  Be  brave  and  follow  me." 

He  wheeled  his  horse  round,  and,  turning  his 
head  over  his  shoulder,  shouted,  — 

"  Forward,  march !  " 

Again  the  order  was  obeyed,  and  again  the  cap- 
160 


Captain  Shays. 

tain's  life  was  endangered,  but  finally  the  company 
moved,  and  before  long  was  out  of  sight  round  the 
bend  in  the  road  toward  Shutesbury. 

Jimmy  Brown  and  Abe  Morse  went  into  the 
tavern,  the  crowd  gradually  dispersed,  and  William 
Perry  shut  the  window  and  sat  down  to  think. 
The  whole  scene  just  witnessed  reminded  him  of 
a  comedy,  but  he  saw  behind  it  something  that  was 
very  serious.  Every  soul  who  had  watched  this 
motley  little  band  of  volunteers  march  through  and 
out  of  the  village,  excepting  Perry  himself,  had 
believed  that  their  commander,  that  mountebank 
Day,  was  a  hero,  second  only  to  Shays  himself. 
Perry  wondered  what  was  to  become  of  a  people 
who  could  be  so  easily  deceived.  Then  he  roused 
himself. 

"  I  '11  go  down  and  have  a  word  with  that  black 
smith's  boy.  Perhaps  I  can  learn  something 
from  him  about  the  Browns." 

With  that  he  put  on  his  hat  and  strolled  leisurely 
toward  the  tap-room. 


161 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

JIMMY  BROWN  and  Abe  Morse  crossed  the  nar 
row  piazza,  and  passed  through  the  door  into 
the  tap-room,  where  a  few  of  the  spectators  of  the 
parade  of  Captain  Day's  troops  had  taken  them 
selves  to  drink  to  the  success  of  their  brave  fellow- 
townsmen  who  had  gone  forth  from  their  homes 
and  friends  to  do  battle  for  freedom  and  justice. 
The  two  young  men  were  not  pleased  with  their 
mission,  and  would  have  preferred  to  go  on  with 
the  others,  thus  putting  a  greater  distance  between 
themselves  and  the  company  of  mounted  militia 
men  whom  they  were  momentarily  expecting  to 
enter  the  town.  Morse  was  less  timid  than  Brown, 
but  even  he  was  not  of  a  warlike  temperament. 
He  was  long,  lank,  ungainly,  and  stupid,  but  withal 
an  honest,  hard-working  lad  who  had  energy 
enough  upon  the  farm,  but  who  lacked  the  spirit 
necessary  for  the  work  which  Captain  Shays  was 
undertaking.  In  fact,  there  were  few  among  the 
162 


Captain  Shays. 

captain's  followers,  outside  the  veterans  of  the 
Continental  army,  who  were  not  better  fitted  to 
handle  the  plough  than  the  musket,  so  that  in  this 
respect  Abe  Morse  was  not  much  below  the  aver 
age  in  capacity.  Young  Brown,  however,  was  of 
a  timid,  listless  disposition,  though  a  well-mean 
ing  boy  without  any  other  real  faults.  He  never 
seemed  to  fit  in  anywhere,  and  as  he  had  made  a 
failure  at  the  forge  and  on  the  farm,  so  he  seemed 
destined  to  make  a  failure  on  the  field  of  battle. 
His  first  trial  had  not  proved  a  success  ;  and  now 
he  was  in  a  state  of  absolute  terror,  and  was  trying 
to  think  out  some  way  of  escape  from  his  military 
service.  He  was  between  two  fires,  and  he  was 
not  sure  that  he  would  not  prefer  to  go  on  with 
Captain  Shays  rather  than  to  return  and  face  his 
father. 

"Abe,"  said  Jimmy,  as  they  sat  down  in  the  cor 
ner  of  the  tap-room  away  from  the  assembled 
guests,  "  I  tell  ye  I  want  to  go  home.  I  don't  like 
this  here  business,  and  I  ain't  fitted  for  it.  It 
makes  me  narvous." 

"  And  me  too,"  answered  Abe  ;  "  but  I  suppose 
we  Ve  got  to  stand  it,  and  do  our  best.  Careful 
how  you  talk.  We  don't  want  'em  to  hear  us  and 
know  who  we  be." 

"  How  're  we  going  to  find  out  what  them  sol- 


Captain  Shays. 

diers  is  going  to  do  when  they  get  here  ?  "  asked 
Jimmy,  anxiously. 

"  They  '11  come  here,  and  if  they  take  lodging 
here,  then  we  '11  know  they  ain't  going  on.  If 
they  don't,  and  order  their  horses,  then  they'll 
be  for  starting  right  along.  Guess  it  '11  be  easy 
enough  to  find  out.  Mr.  Simins  here  '11  have 
our  horses  ready,  and  when  we  give  him  the 
word  he  '11  get  'em  for  us  and  we  '11  start  for 
Pelham." 

For  a  time  neither  spoke,  but  both  sat  watching 
the  people  who  came  and  went,  and  listening  to 
their  conversation.  Suddenly  Jimmy  took  off  his 
hat  and  holding  it  in  front  of  his  face  leaned  over 
toward  Morse  and  whispered,  — 

"  Oh,  gosh,  Abe,  can't  we  get  out  of  here  ? 
It's  him." 

Abe  was  at  a  loss  to  understand  who  it  was  who 
caused  his  friend  so  much  agitation,  and  looked 
about  the  room  inquiringly.  When  his  eyes 
reached  the  door  leading  into  the  hall,  he  noticed 
standing  in  it  a  large,  broad-shouldered  young 
man,  examining  the  inmates  of  the  room  with 
much  curiosity.  He  caught  Morse's  eye,  and  the 
next  moment  crossed  the  room  to  where  he  and 
Jimmy  were  sitting. 

"  Where 's  your  young  friend  ?  "  asked  Perry, 
164 


Captain  Shays. 

not  recognizing  Jimmy  behind  the  hat.  "  Oh,  I 
see.  Take  down  your  hat,  my  boy.  I  won't  hurt 
you." 

Jimmy  did  as  he  was  bid,  and  William  con 
tinued,  — 

"  Why  did  n't  you  go  on  with  your  friends  ? 
You  were  with  them  as  they  marched  by  the 
tavern." 

"For  Heaven's  sake,  sir,"  said  Jimmy,  plead 
ingly,  "  don't  speak  so  loud,  or  we  're  both  dead 
men." 

"  I  don't  think  you  '11  get  killed  as  easily  as  all 
that,"  answered  Perry,  with  a  smile.  "  You  can 
run  too  well.  The  captain's  hand  seems  to  trouble 
him  a  little  yet.  But  I  came  to  speak  to  you  about 
something  else.  Won't  you  both  come  up  to  my 
room  ?  Or,  better,  you  come,  and  let  your  friend 
stay  here  and  watch.  I  don't  want  to  get  you  into 
trouble." 

Jimmy  looked  appealingly  at  Abe,  and  neither 
seemed  able  to  answer. 

"  You  seem  to  hesitate,"  said  Perry,  after  wait 
ing  in  vain  for  him  to  speak.  "  Very  well,  then  ; 
I  '11  draw  a  chair  up  here,  and  will  say  what  I  wish. 
There  's  no  danger  of  our  being  overheard,  so 
don't  look  so  worried.  I  Ve  just  come  from  Peter 
sham  ;  and  the  old  blacksmith  you  were  working 

'65 


Captain  Shays. 

with  when  I  passed  through  there  the  other  day 
is  in  a  bad  way." 

Jimmy  looked  up  anxiously,  and  asked,  — 

"Is  he  sick?" 

"  Not  exactly,  but  he  's  troubled,  and  I  want  to 
find  out  something  about  him  from  you.  Have  you 
known  him  long  ?  " 

"He's  my  father." 

Perry  started  in  his  chair,  and  turned  toward 
the  boy. 

"  He  's  your  father  ?  "  said  he,  doubtingly.  The 
other  nodded.  "  Then  you  must  know  a  great  deal 
about  his  affairs.  How  did  he  get  into  debt  ?  How 
long  has  the  farm  been  mortgaged  ? " 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  Jimmy,  surprised  at 
being  asked  such  questions  by  a  stranger.  "  I 
guess  it's  some  time.  He's  been  fussier  than 
usual  for  a  spell,  and  I  kind  of  thought  he  had 
something  a  fretting  him.  But  he  don't  never 
tell  me  much.  Ruth  knows  all  about  it,  I 
guess." 

"  Why  did  you  leave  him  and  your  sister  to 
come  off  here  on  this  fool's  errand  ?  "  asked  Perry. 
"  Why  did  n't  you  stay  with  them  and  help  them, 
or  at  least  try  to  go  somewhere  where  you  could 
gain  something?" 

"  'Cause  father  sent  me.  I  asked  him  to  let  me 
1 66 


Captain  Shays. 

stay,  but  he  would  n't  listen  to  it.  He  said  it  was 
my  duty  to  follow  Cap'n  Shays." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  that  he  was  n't  right,"  said 
Perry,  in  disgust.  "  But  I  '11  tell  you  one  thing, 
and  then  you  can  do  as  you  like.  Your  father  is 
breaking  down  under  the  strain;  and  if  you  had 
a  tenth  part  of  the  pluck  of  your  sister,  you  'd  go 
back  and  take  hold  of  things,  and  try  to  straighten 
them  out.  You  '11  never  make  a  soldier,  and  your 
father  ought  to  have  known  it." 

"  I  know  it,  sir,"  said  Jimmy ;  "  and  I  told  father 
so,  but  it  was  n't  no  use.  I  'm  afraid  to  go  back 
to  him,  and  I  'm  scart  to  go  ahead." 

"  Then  you  're  a  fool,"  said  Perry,  rising  and 
going  to  the  door.  "  The  troops  will  be  here  be 
fore  long,  and  if  you  don't  put  on  a  more  uncon 
cerned  expression  than  you  have  now,  they  '11 
suspect  who  you  are,  and  you'll  be  likely  to  get 
into  trouble.  I  'm  going  to  my  room  now,  and  I  'U 
leave  you  to  think  matters  over." 

"  You  won't  say  nothing  about  who  we  be,  will 
you,  sir  ?  "  asked  Jimmy,  pleadingly. 

"  I  'm  not  sure  what  I  '11  do,"  Perry  replied  with 
a  smile.  "  What  I  ought  to  do  is  to  hand  you  over 
to  the  authorities  when  they  arrive.  But  I  guess 
it  will  be  better  to  let  you  go  on  your  errand.  If 
you  see  Captain  Shays,  tell  him  that  'Mr.  Lawyer' 
167 


Captain  Shays. 

hopes  to  meet  him  in  Springfield,  if  not  sooner. 
Good-night.  I  advise  you  to  start  before  it 's  much 
later." 

The  two  youths  watched  him  as  he  retired,  then 
got  up  without  speaking,  and  led  by  the  same  im 
pulse  walked  out  of  the  tavern  round  to  the  barn, 
mounted  their  horses,  and  started  in  pursuit  of 
Captain  Day  and  his  recruits. 

William  Perry  entered  his  room  and  threw  his 
hat  violently  into  a  chair.  Then  he  lighted  the 
candle,  and  seated  himself  at  the  table. 

"That's  her  brother,"  he  thought,  his  mouth 
firmly  closed.  "  I  don't  believe  it.  I  can't  be 
lieve  it.  But  I  suppose  he  must  be  if  he  says  so. 
I  'm  feeling  tired,  so  I  '11  just  throw  myself  on  the 
bed  a  minute,  and  take  a  nap." 

He  blew  out  the  candle,  and  lying  down,  tried  to 
sleep.  His  brain  was  in  such  a  confused  whirl 
that  he  could  not  close  his  eyes.  He  tossed  about 
for  a  few  moments,  then  got  up,  drew  back  the 
window-curtains,  and  sat  looking  out  on  the  dark 
road.  Presently  he  heard  the  tramp  of  horses,  and 
a  little  after  about  fifty  horsemen  halted  before  the 
inn.  Perry  could  not  see  them  very  distinctly,  but 
he  knew  that  they  were  the  militiamen  or  volun 
teers  who  were  expected  by  the  insurgents.  He 
hastily  drew  the  curtains,  and  picking  up  his  hat, 
1 68 


Captain  Shays. 

rushed  out  in  front  of  the  tavern.  As  he  reached 
the  street  the  men  were  dismounting,  and  he  ex 
amined  them  carefully  in  hopes  of  recognizing 
some  one.  He  was  not  disappointed,  for  a  young 
man  stopped,  and  putting  out  his  hand  said,  — 

"For  Heaven's  sake,  Perry,  how  did  you  turn 
up  in  this  place  ?  " 

"  I  'm  on  my  way  to  the  opening  of  court,  Mason, 
as  I  suppose  you  are.  Or  have  you  taken  up 
arms  ?  " 

"  No.  I  'm  on  the  same  errand  as  you,  and 
have  taken  advantage  of  an  escort.  Why  did  n't 
you  wait  for  us  ?  It 's  lucky  you  're  alive." 

Perry  laughed. 

"  I  don't  believe  you  Ve  seen  the  enemy,"  he 
said.  "  I  have,  and  I  've  had  a  little  skirmish  all 
by  myself.  Two  wounded,  one  escaped,"  and  he 
laughed  again. 

"You  always  were  a  harebrained  chap,"  an 
swered  the  other  ;  "  but  you  Ve  always  seemed  to 
get  off  without  a  scratch.  What  do  you  hear  about 
Shays  ?  They  told  us  in  Barre  that  some  of  his 
stragglers  were  only  a  few  miles  ahead  of  us,  and 
we've  been  expecting  to  come  across  them  all 
day." 

"  They  left  here  about  two  hours  ago,  and  have 
gone  through  Shutesbury  to  Pelham.  They  are  a 


Captain  Shays. 

frightful  body  of  men,"  said  Perry,  shaking  his 
head. 

"  You  don't  say  so  ?     How  many  were  there  ?  " 

"  I  'm  afraid  to  tell  you.  They  were  led  by 
one  of  the  fiercest-looking  captains  I  ever  saw. 
A  regular  fire-eater." 

The  other  looked  at  him  suspiciously,  and,  no 
ticing  the  smile  which  Perry  could  not  restrain, 
said  good-naturedly,  — 

"The  same  old  fraud,  Perry.  Well,  tell  me 
really  what  they  were  ?  The  captain  wants  to 
know." 

"  There  were  about  twenty  of  the  most  forlorn 
human  beings,  mounted  upon  twenty  of  the  clum 
siest  steeds  I  ever  saw.  Their  captain  was  one  of 
the  two  I  wounded  in  battle,  and  wore  a  bandage 
round  his  damaged  hand.  If  your  captain  wishes 
to  catch  'em  to-night,  I  don't  think  he  '11  have 
much  trouble.  Shays  expects  to  meet  'em  in  Pel- 
ham,  but  how  many  recruits  he  has  I  don't  know. 
I  should  have  pushed  on  to-day,  but  thought  it 
more  prudent  to  wait  for  your  company." 

"  I  'm  surprised  you  did  n't  go  on  and  challenge 
the  whole  lot  of  'em,"  said  the  other,  with  a  laugh. 

"  I  thought  of  doing  it,"  answered  Perry,  with  a 
mock  seriousness ;  "  but  I  've  got  business  before 
the  court,  and  couldn't  afford  even  to  take  so 
170 


Captain  Shays. 

little  risk  as  that.  Do  you  expect  to  be  off  to 
night  ?  " 

"  The  captain  told  me  only  a  short  time  ago  that 
he  should  rest  here  under  any  circumstances,  and 
start  at  sunrise  to-morrow.  We  ought  to  catch  up 
with  'em  in  the  afternoon,  and  we  may  have  some 
fun.  I  Ve  got  to  go  along  now  and  find  the  cap 
tain  and  tell  him  what  you  say.  Good-night." 

Perry  really  felt  a  sense  of  relief  at  the  prospect 
of  having  congenial  company  through  the  rest  of 
his  trip,  and  after  giving  orders  to  the  keeper  to 
call  him  half  an  hour  before  sunrise,  he  went  to 
bed  and  was  soon  sleeping  soundly. 


171 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

JIMMY  and  Abe  rode  away  through  the  night 
as  fast  as  their  horses  could  take  them,  which 
was,  in  truth,  not  very  fast.  Yet  they  did  very 
well,  and  eventually  brought  their  riders  safely  to 
the  little  hamlet  of  Shutesbury,  an  outlying  village 
next  the  township  of  Pelham. 

"  They  met  one  of  Cap'n  Shays'  men  here," 
said  a  man  of  whom  they  inquired  for  Day  and 
his  company.  "  He  came  with  orders  to  move 
right  on  to  Pelham." 

The  two  men  asked  no  further  questions,  but 
whipping  up  their  tired  horses,  started  forward 
again. 

In  the  mean  while,  Perry  and  the  militia  were 
resting  quietly  in  Millington  village.  About  an 
hour  before  sunrise  there  was  a  stir  in  the  little 
hamlet,  and  as  the  first  light  of  dawn  was  creeping 
up  over  the  Petersham  hills,  the  company  of  volun 
teers,  who  had  answered  to  the  call  of  Governor 
172 


Captain  Shays. 

Bowdoin  to  go  to  Springfield  and  join  General 
Shepard,  rode  out  over  the  road  which  Captain 
Day  had  taken  but  a  few  hours  before.  Perry  and 
Mason  were  side  by  side  in  the  rear  of  the  others, 
and  for  some  time  after  their  first  exchange  of 
morning  greetings  neither  spoke.  Perry  seemed 
preoccupied,  and  his  friend  noticed  it. 

"  Thinking  up  your  cases  ? "  said  Mason,  as 
they  were  climbing  a  steep  bit  of  road  a  few  miles 
to  the  west  of  New  Salem. 

"  No,"  answered  Perry,  as  one  suddenly  awak 
ened.  "  No ;  I  was  wondering  what  all  this  row 
was  about,  anyway.  It  seems  to  me  that  it  could 
have  been  prevented  by  a  few  concessions  on  the 
part  of  government.  Not  that  I  approve  of  these 
rascals  who  are  stirring  up  the  people  to  rebellion. 
Not  at  all.  But  I  've  seen  some  pretty  strong  ex 
amples  of  the  sufferings  of  the  country  folk,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  that  they  Ve  more  to  be  pitied 
than  blamed.  They  were  in  earnest,  too,  and  per 
fectly  sincere ;  as  much  so  as  were  our  patriots  of 
ten  years  ago,  and  to  them  the  burdens  of  taxa 
tion  by  our  present  government,  seems  as  unjust 
as  those  imposed  by  the  British  Parliament  before 
'76.  I  'm  a  moderate,  you  see,  and  perhaps  you  '11 
think  me  disloyal,  but  I  cannot  believe  that  all  the 
fault  is  on  one  side." 

173 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,  Perry,"  answered  the 
other,  shaking  his  head.  "  The  farmers  must 
expect  to  contribute  their  share  to  the  general 
fund,  and  should  do  so  without  grumbling." 

"  Would  you,  or  I,  or  any  of  us,  be  willing  to 
be  stripped  of  everything,  —  be  forced  to  go  into 
debt  for  the  ordinary  necessities  of  life,  and  sit 
and  smile  and  be  patient?  No,  Mason.  I 'm  a 
poor  man,  and  so  are  you.  There  are  few  of  us 
who  are  not ;  but  we  can  manage  to  pull  through 
somehow,  and  to  clothe  and  feed  ourselves.  These 
poor  people  can  do  neither.  The  treatment  is 
too  heroic,  and  the  patient  is  rebelling.  That's 
all  there  is  to  it.  Don't  misunderstand  me,  how 
ever.  It  has  gone  so  far  now  that  I  am  convinced 
that  it  must  be  stopped  with  a  firm  hand.  Yet  I 
see  another  side  to  it,  and  I  feel  the  end  is  not  in 
sight  yet." 

They  were  now  passing  through  a  level  stretch 
of  country  whence  to  the  west  could  be  seen  the 
line  of  the  Berkshire  Hills.  The  road  was  rough, 
but  the  captain  was  in  a  hurry,  so  upon  his  order 
the  little  company  started  off  at  a  canter.  They 
had  not  gone  far  when  there  was  an  abrupt  order 
to  halt,  and  looking  between  those  in  front  of  him, 
Perry  saw,  not  more  than  a  hundred  rods  away, 
a  horseman,  seated  quietly  watching  them  as  they 


Captain  Shays. 

approached.  He  was  on  the  brow  of  the  hill  with 
the  sky  behind  him,  and  Perry  recognized  him. 
It  was  Captain  Day.  In  another  moment  he  dis 
appeared,  and  the  little  band  of  volunteers  gal 
loped  up  in  pursuit  of  him.  On  reaching  the 
summit  they  found  that  there  was  a  steep  pitch 
leading  to  the  valley  below,  and  that  Captain  Day 
had  succeeded  in  eluding  them. 

"  Never  mind,"  said  the  captain.  "  Walk  your 
horses  down,  and  we  '11  catch  'em  before  the  day  's 
out.  They  can't  be  far  off  now." 

They  advanced  with  great  caution,  for  the  road 
was  lined  with  thick  woods,  and  in  places  high 
banks  rose  beside  them  from  which  it  would  not 
have  been  difficult  for  the  rebels  to  attack  them. 
It  seemed  most  probable,  however,  that  they  would 
try  to  escape,  for  they  wished  to  reach  Springfield 
rather  than  waste  their  energies  on  the  way.  This 
is  what  Perry  told  his  companions ;  but  he  was 
mistaken,  for  on  turning  the  next  bend  in  the 
road  they  saw  stretched  across  it  a  body  of  horse 
men.  They  were  the  men  whom  Perry  had  seen 
the  day  before,  but  they  were  not  alone.  Behind 
and  beside  them  were  gathered  more  than  a  hun 
dred  others,  on  foot,  all  apparently  farmers,  armed 
with  the  first  weapons  they  had  been  able  to  lay 
their  hands  on,  when  Captain  Shays  had  called 
175 


Captain  Shays. 

on  them  to  do  their  duty  and  follow  him.  It  must 
be  said  that  they  were  a  determined-looking  set  of 
men.  As  Perry  had  told  his  friend  a  short  time 
before,  they  were  conscientious  and  thought  their 
freedom  was  at  stake.  They  considered  the  gov 
ernment  and  the  military  as  their  enemies,  and  they 
had  sworn  to  stand  for  their  rights. 

The  first  impulse  of  the  militia  captain  was  to 
make  a  dash  and  break  through  them,  but  a  mo 
ment's  hesitation  made  him  change  his  mind.  He 
saw  clearly  that  the  men  intended  to  stand  their 
ground,  and  that  the  only  way  to  avoid  unnecessary 
bloodshed  was  to  wait  for  them  to  make  the  first 
move,  and  failing  this,  to  use  his  authority  with  a 
bit  of  persuasion. 

"  Clear  the  way  there,"  he  shouted,  "  in  the  name 
of  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts !  "  There 
was  a  slight  movement  in  the  opposing  ranks,  but 
no  sign  of  yielding. 

"  Once  more,"  called  out  the  captain  again. 
"  Clear  the  way,  and  lay  down  your  arms.  If  you 
do  this,  you  may  return  quietly  to  your  homes.  If 
not,  I  shall  be  obliged  to  force  a  passage." 

Again  there  was  no  answer,  and  the  captain 
began  to  lose  patience. 

"  Where  's  your  leader  ?  "  he  said,  riding  forward. 

"  Here  I  am,"  answered  Day,  coming  out  of  the 
176 


Captain  Shays. 

rank  to  meet  him.  "You  can't  go  by  here,  my 
friend,  and  I  advise  ye  not  to  try  it.  Captain 
Shays  is  only  a  few  miles  behind  us  with  two 
hundred  men,  and  I  guess  you  might 's  well  give 
it  up  and  go  back  to  Boston." 

"  Surrender,  you  rascal,"  roared  the  captain, 
giving  Day's  word  no  heed.  "  This  is  your  last 
chance." 

Day  smiled. 

"  I  guess  not,  mister,"  he  said.  "  Jest  suppose 
you  do  the  surrendering.  You  Ve  about  fifty,  and 
I  Ve  got  about  three  times  as  many." 

"So  you  had  the  other  day,"  called  out  Perry 
from  behind  the  ranks,  "but  you  weren't  very 
successful." 

Day  scowled,  and  his  bandaged  hand  slipped 
down  beside  his  horse. 

"Aim  high,"  whispered  the  militia  captain  to 
the  man  behind  him.  "  Give  the  word  through 
the  ranks."  Then  he  went  on  aloud,  addressing 
Day,  "  I  Ve  given  you  your  last  chance,  so  — 
Ready!  fire!" 

There  was  a  loud  report  and  a  few  screams, 
then  a  scattering  of  the  enemy  in  all  directions. 
Captain  Day  tried  to  check  them,  but  it  was  useless, 
for  the  moment  the  rattle  of  the  muskets  reached 
the  ears  of  those  in  front,  they  wheeled  about, 
12  177 


Captain  Shays. 

thus  coming  into  collision  with  those  behind  them. 
All  was  confusion ;  and  the  farmers,  seeing  them 
selves  abandoned  by  their  mounted  escort,  took 
to  the  woods  and  fields,  and  were  soon  out  of 
danger.  Captain  Day  held  his  ground  firmly  until 
he  saw  the  enemy  charging  upon  him.  Then  he 
turned,  and  shouting,  "  Stop,  you  damned  cowards ! " 
made  after  his  scattered  army  at  full  speed. 

Perry  had  watched  the  proceedings  with  much 
interest,  for  besides  his  old  friend  the  captain,  he 
had  noticed  in  the  ranks  Jimmy  Brown  and  Abe 
Morse.  The  former,  being  in  the  rear  and  having 
a  clear  road,  had  been  the  first  to  decamp,  but 
unfortunately  for  him  he  was  even  a  poorer  rider 
than  his  companion  in  arms,  and  as  he  turned 
a  sharp  corner  he  lost  his  stirrup,  and  was  thrown 
headlong  into  the  bushes  beside  the  road.  The 
fall  was  a  heavy  one,  and  the  poor  boy  was  groan 
ing  when  Perry  rode  up  to  him  and  dismounted. 

"  I  don't  want  to  detain  you,  captain,"  he  said, 
as  the  others  came  up,  "  but  I  know  this  boy,  and 
would  like  to  have  him  carried  to  the  next  house. 
He  seems  to  be  suffering." 

"  I  'm  in  no  hurry,  sir,"  answered  the  captain, 
pleasantly.  "  Shays  will  get  word  of  our  coming 
soon  enough,  and  I  don't  think  he  '11  wait  for  us. 
He  '11  take  some  other  way  of  going  to  Springfield, 


Captain  Shays. 

and  we  '11  have  no  further  trouble.  Two  of  my 
men  will  carry  the  boy  along." 

In  the  mean  while  Jimmy  was  groaning,  with  his 
head  on  Perry's  knee.  His  face  was  deathly  pale, 
and  his  eyes  closed.  Presently  he  opened  them, 
and  seeing  Perry  uttered  a  terrified  cry. 

"  It 's  all  right,  my  boy,"  said  William,  kindly, 
"You've  had  a  bad  fall.  Where  does  it  hurt 
you  ?  " 

Jimmy  raised  his  hand  slowly  to  his  head,  and 
tried  to  speak,  but  was  too  weak. 

"  I  'm  afraid  the  poor  boy  's  done  for,"  he  said 
to  the  two  men  who  had  dismounted  to  help  carry 
Jimmy.  "  Take  him  easily,  please." 

"  There  's  a  house  just  beyond  here,"  said  one 
of  the  men.  "  I  saw  it  from  the  top  of  the  hill." 

"  Then  if  you  '11  kindly  carry  him  there,  I  '11  lead 
your  horses. " 

As  they  moved  forward  again,  Mason  rode  up  to 
William  and  asked  with  curiosity,  — 

"Where  did  you  ever  see  that  young  fellow 
before,  Perry  ?  You  seem  to  take  quite  an  interest 
in  him." 

"  I  first  saw  him  about  ten  days  ago  in  a  black 
smith's  shop  in  Petersham.  Since  then  I  've  come 
across  him  twice,  and  I  have  had  occasion  to  visit 
his  father  on  a  matter  of  business.  This  poor  boy 
179 


Captain  Shays. 

is  of  very  little  account  to  the  world  at  large,  but 
if  he  should  die  I  'm  afraid  that  it  would  be  the 
last  straw  for  the  old  man,  who  is  one  of  those 
unfortunate  debtors  of  whom  I  spoke  to  you  a 
little  while  ago.  He  is  alone  with  his  daughter  in 
Petersham,  and  on  their  account  I  feel  an  interest 
in  this  boy." 

"You  are  certainly  a  kind-hearted  fellow,"  said 
the  other,  with  a  smile. 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  answered  Perry,  ab 
stractedly.  "  I  am  only  human,  and  I  can't  see 
suffering  of  any  kind  without  feeling  it  myself." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  him  when  we 
reach  the  house?" 

"  If  he  seems  all  right,  I  '11  leave  him  with  the 
people  there.  If  not,  I  shall  stay  with  him  and 
send  word  to  his  sister.  In  the  latter  event  I  shall 
ask  you  to  continue  my  cases.  Will  you  do  so  for 
me?" 

"With  pleasure.  I  '11  look  'em  up  as  soon  as  I 
arrive,  and  I  've  no  doubt  that  they  will  do  any 
thing  to  accommodate  you.  Here  we  are  at  the 
house,  and  they're  taking  him  in." 

"  Don't  wait  for  me,  captain,"  said  Perry,  as  he 
dismounted.  "  If  I  decide  to  go  on  to-day,  I  can 
overtake  you  ;  but  I  doubt  if  I  do  so." 

The  farmer's  wife  led  the  men  to  a  little  room 
180 


Captain  Shays. 

off  the  kitchen,  where  they  laid  the  boy  upon  a  bed. 
After  Perry  had  thanked  them  they  mounted  their 
horses  and  galloped  after  the  others. 

"Is  there  a  doctor  near  here  ?  "  asked  Perry,  as 
he  sat  by  Jimmy's  bedside. 

"  Yes,  sir,  about  three  mile  away.  Joe  '11  ride 
right  up  and  get  him." 

"  Thank  you,"  answered  Perry  ;  "  I  'm  afraid 
he  '11  have  to  hurry." 

An  hour  later  the  doctor  arrived,  and  when  he 
saw  the  youth,  he  shook  his  head. 

"  Concussion  of  the  brain,  sir.  He  won't  live 
till  morning.  I  '11  bleed  him.  That 's  the  only 
thing  to  do." 


181 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

AT7ILLIAM  PERRY  watched  for  two  days 
W  and  nights  by  Jimmy  Brown's  bedside. 
When  the  doctor  came,  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
third  day,  he  found  his  patient  better,  and  gave 
hopes  of  his  recovery ;  so  Perry  decided  to  push 
on  toward  Springfield.  The  people  in  the  farm 
house  promised  to  send  to  Ruth  should  her  brother 
need  her,  so  bidding  the  boy  farewell,  William 
mounted  Molly  and  rode  toward  the  southwest, 
intending  to  avoid  the  main  highway,  through 
Hadley  and  Northampton,  and  to  strike  that  far 
ther  south.  He  thought  he  might  by  so  doing 
gain  time,  and  also  prevent  further  interception 
by  the  insurgents.  He  knew  that  it  would  be 
useless  to  attempt  to  catch  up  with  the  militia 
company. 

As  he  passed  up  hill  and  down  over  the  narrow 
winding  grass-grown    roads,   scarcely   more   than 
cow-paths,  now  closely  hemmed  in  by  thick  forests 
182 


Captain  Shays. 

of  pine  and  hemlock,  now  opening  out  into  some 
valley  from  which  could  be  seen  the  waving  line  of 
the  Berkshire  Hills,  with  Mount  Tom  standing  out 
toward  the  southwest  like  a  great  boulder,  he 
thought  over  his  adventures  of  the  past  two  weeks, 
the  most  eventful  of  his  life.  He  had  learned 
much  in  that  short  time  ;  and  he  wondered  if  it  was 
all  only  chance,  or  whether  he  was  destined  to 
play  an  important  part  in  the  lives  of  the  people 
he  had  been  brought  in  contact  with  on  so  many 
occasions  and  under  so  many  different  conditions. 
It  was  now  less  than  two  weeks  since  he  had 
dropped  unexpectedly  and  by  accident  upon  Dea 
con  Brown  and  his  son  in  the  smithy  in  Petersham, 
and  now  he  began  to  feel  a  certain  responsibility 
for  them,  and  that  their  welfare  and  happiness 
depended  upon  him.  He  had  fully  made  up  his 
mind  that  he  would  do  all  in  his  power  to  prevent 
the  blacksmith's  fast-approaching  ruin ;  but  as  he 
had  told  his  friend  the  day  before,  he  was  a  poor 
man  and  had  to  earn  his  living  by  hard  work. 
Yet  he  had  one  advantage  over  many  others.  He 
was  alone,  and  had  no  one  dependent  upon  him, 
and  his  needs  were  small.  Suddenly  he  smiled 
and  asked  himself  why  he  should  take  so  much 
interest  in  these  utter  strangers,  —  why  he  should 
stop  to  consider  their  sufferings  more  than  those 
183 


Captain  Shays. 

of  hundreds  of  others  whom  he  had  seen  in  the 
course  of  his  journey.  To  be  sure,  he  had  been 
thrown  with  them  more  closely  than  with  the 
others,  and  knew  more  of  their  affairs ;  but  even  so 
it  was  all  largely  a  matter  of  business,  and  he  had 
had  many  distressing  cases  in  his  professional 
career.  But  none  of  them  had  affected  him  in  the 
same  degree  as  did  this  one.  He  thought  of  old 
Brown,  and  though  he  pitied  him,  he  could  see  no 
reason  for  being  especially  attracted  to  him.  As 
to  Jimmy,  he  was  a  poor  little  wretch  who  meant 
no  harm,  but  was  capable  of  no  good.  Then 
there  was  Ruth.  As  he  thought  of  her,  the  expla 
nation  of  his  feelings  seemed  to  come  to  him. 
Yes  ;  it  was  the  girl's  sad,  pleading  eyes,  her  devo 
tion  to  her  father,  and  her  courage  and  desire  to 
help  him,  that  had  made  the  difference  in  their 
case. 

"  It 's  so  different  with  a  young  girl  alone,"  he 
thought.  "  The  men  can  get  out  of  their  troubles 
sooner  or  later  in  some  way ;  but  the  women,  espe 
cially  on  a  far-off  farm,  can  do  nothing." 

Thus  he  rode  along  for  hours,  meditating  on  the 
past  and  speculating  on  the  future.  The  mare  had 
had  an  easy  time  during  the  last  few  days,  and  was 
fresh  and  full  of  spirit ;  and  this,  added  to  the 
bracing  air  of  the  September  afternoon,  gradually 
184 


Captain  Shays. 

smoothed  the  wrinkles  from  Perry's  brow  and 
brought  back  the  old  smile  which  had  been  absent 
for  so  long.  Finally  he  found  himself  humming 
as  he  had  done  on  his  first  day  out  from  Boston. 

"  I  feel  better  now  that  I  Ve  thought  these 
things  over  and  straightened  'em  out  a  bit  in  my 
mind,"  he  concluded.  "  Strange  I  have  n't  met 
any  one  yet.  I  might  as  well  be  in  the  wilds  of 
Norway.  But  I  like  it.  I  Ve  had  enough  com 
pany  lately,  and  I  '11  have  plenty  more  in  a  day  or 
two.  If  Molly  keeps  as  fresh  as  this,  I  shall  be  in 
time  for  the  opening  of  the  session  —  if  they  have 
any  ! "  and  he  laughed  aloud. 

As  he  did  so,  he  thought  he  heard  something 
in  front  of  him.  The  road  was  now  through  a 
densely  shaded  stretch,  and  as  the  sun  was  well 
below  the  tree-tops  it  was  at  times  difficult  to  dis 
tinguish  objects  clearly.  He  therefore  touched  the 
mare,  and  started  off  at  a  brisk  canter.  On  turning 
a  bend  he  saw  not  many  yards  in  advance  of  him 
a  horseman  beating  his  steed  vehemently,  evidently 
trying  to  escape  his  pursuer.  Perry  touched  up 
Molly  again,  and  was  soon  gaining  on  the  fugitive. 

"Hey!  Stop!  Why  are  you  running  away?" 
shouted  William.  The  other  did  not  answer,  but 
looking  over  his  shoulder,  gave  his  horse  a  more 
vigorous  tap  than  before  and  tried  to  urge  him 

185 


Captain  Shays. 

forward.  Perry  had  now  recognized  the  young 
man  who  had  been  with  Jimmy  Brown  in  Milling- 
ton  village,  so  called  out  again,  — 

"  Wait ;  I  want  to  speak  to  you.  I  shall  catch 
you  anyway  in  less  than  five  minutes,  so  you  're 
spoiling  horse-flesh  uselessly." 

Abe  Morse  was  not  yet  convinced  and  still  urged 
his  weary  beast. 

"  Now  I  've  got  you,"  said  Perry,  a  few  moments 
later,  as  he  overtook  him.  "  But  I  don't  wish  you 
any  harm,  so  just  pull  up.  That 's  right." 

"  I  thought  you  were  the  troops,"  said  Abe,  out 
of  breath. 

"  Well,  I  'm  not,  and  they  're  out  of  the  way. 
Now  I  want  to  speak  seriously  to  you.  Your 
friend  came  near  getting  killed  the  other  day,  and 
I  Ve  lost  a  good  deal  of  valuable  time  in  looking 
after  him.  He  's  better  now.  Turn  about  and  go 
back  to  him.  He 's  in  the  first  house  this  side  of 
the  hill  where  we  had  the  battle." 

"Are  the  militia  gone?"  asked  Abe,  a  little 
timidly. 

"  Yes,  you  fool,"  answered  Perry,  with  a  motion 
of  contempt ;  "  and  if  they  were  n't,  it  would  be 
your  duty  to  go  and  look  after  your  friend.  He 
may  need  some  one  to  get  word  to  his  father  and 
sister." 

186 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  '11  go  right  along,  then,"  said  Morse,  with  a 
little  show  of  spirit.  "  I  vow  I  was  frightened, 
though,  and  I  don't  deny  it.  I  suppose  it 's  natural 
with  some  folks." 

"  I  should  say  it  was  from  what  I  saw  the  other 
day,"  answered  Perry,  with  a  laugh.  "  But  I  don't 
know  that  I  can  blame  you.  One  has  to  get  used 
to  such  things,  and  some  of  our  bravest  soldiers 
have  been  cowards  in  their  first  battles.  So  go 
ahead,  and  perhaps  you  '11  be  on  Captain  Shays' 
staff  before  the  war  is  over." 

"  Where  did  you  say  Jimmy  was  ?  "  asked  Abe, 
not  noticing  Perry's  last  remark. 

"  In  the  house  nearest  the  hill  where  you  left 
him.  The  man's  name  is  White.  Good-bye.  I 
shall  be  back  through  Petersham  in  about  ten 
days,  and  I  expect  to  find  the  boy  all  right  then. 
Remember  me  to  him." 

Abe  was  about  to  start  when  Perry  called  him. 

"  Wait  a  moment.  Do  you  know  the  Browns 
well?" 

"Yes,  sir;  known  'em  all  my  life.  The  dea 
con  and  father  went  to  the  war  together,  and  our 
farm  is  next  to  theirs." 

"  Are  they  any  worse  off  than  the  other  families 
about  them  ?  "  asked  Perry,  thoughtfully. 

"  I  guess  not,  sir,  so  fur  's  I  know.  We  ain't 
187 


Captain  Shays. 

none  of  us  got  any  money  these  days.  But  they 
do  say  that  the  old  man  is  acting  kind  of  queer 
lately.  Jimmy  says  he  's  harder  on  him  than  ever. 
But  Jimmy  's  kind  of  aggravating,  he 's  so  slow." 

"  And  the  daughter  ?  "  Perry  asked  with  inter 
est.  "  Is  her  father  ever  unkind  to  her  ? " 

"  No,  sir.  Never.  Ruth  can  make  him  do 
pretty  much  as  she  likes  ;  but  then  she  's  different 
from  Jimmy.  She  's  strong  and  hearty  and  lively, 
and  does  a  lot  of  work." 

"  Thank  you.  That 's  all  I  want  to  know,"  said 
Perry,  nodding.  "  Good-bye." 

He  rode  away  rapidly  down  the  road,  leaving 
Abe  looking  after  him. 

"  What 's  he  want  to  know  so  much  about  'em 
for?"  thought  young  Morse,  as  he  started  back 
toward  Shutesbury.  "  Seems  to  me  he  's  mighty 
particular  about  Ruth,  too.  I  guess  she  can  get 
along  without  his  advice,"  and  he  whipped  up  his 
horse  and  galloped  along.  Perry  continued  on 
his  journey  with  a  feeling  of  relief,  and  it  was  late 
into  the  evening  before  he  reached  the  little  town 
of  Granby,  twelve  miles  northwest  of  Springfield. 
His  first  impulse  was  to  wait  until  morning,  and 
then  ride  on  early  so  that  he  would  be  in  time  for 
the  opening  of  court.  But  upon  reflection  he  was 
not  sure  that  it  would  not  be  wise  to  push  ahead 
1 88 


Captain  Shays. 

under  cover  of  the  night,  for  he  would  be  less 
likely  to  be  recognized,  and  perhaps  able  to  enter 
the  town  unobserved.  Therefore  after  supper,  and 
a  sufficient  time  for  himself  and  Molly  to  become 
fit  for  further  travel,  he  set  out  through  the  village. 
The  night  was  dark  and  the  roads  rough,  so  he 
durst  not  go  out  of  a  walk.  Thus  it  was  after 
midnight  when  he  entered  Ludlow  and  turned 
west  toward  Springfield.  Up  to  this  time  he  had 
seen  very  few  people  since  he  left  Abe  Morse. 
Now  the  scene  changed  as  if  by  magic,  and  dark 
figures  passed  him  at  every  moment  headed  in  the 
direction  of  Springfield.  He  met  many  also,  and 
groups  were  gathered  by  the  roadside.  It  was 
apparent  to  him  that  some  important  preparations 
were  being  made,  and  he  had  no  difficulty  in 
guessing  what  they  were.  The  insurgents  were 
marshalling  their  forces  for  an  early  attack  upon 
the  town,  and  he  had  done  well  to  come  on  by 
night ;  for  no  one  knew  him,  and  in  the  darkness 
they  thought  him  one  of  their  number.  Once 
some  one  stopped  and  spoke,  saying,  "  All  by  the 
big  oak  at  sunrise  ; "  and  as  Perry  nodded  assent, 
the  man  rode  away  satisfied.  When  he  got  within 
a  few  miles  of  the  town,  everything  seemed  quieter, 
and  he  met  only  a  few  stragglers,  evidently  on 
their  way  to  the  appointed  meeting.  Thus  he 
189 


Captain  Shays. 

rode  into  the  town  without  further  interruption, 
and  going  to  the  square  by  the  main  street,  secured 
lodgings  at  the  Coffee  House. 

It  was  nearly  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  when 
Perry  at  last  fell  asleep.  He  was  awakened  soon 
after  sunrise  by  the  sound  of  a  fife  and  drum,  and 
jumping  from  his  bed  hastily,  he  ran  to  the  win 
dow  overlooking  the  square.  A  company  of 
militia  was  marching  toward  the  Court  House, 
where  a  large  crowd  of  people  was  already  assem 
bled.  Perry  dressed  hurriedly  and  ordered  break 
fast  at  once,  after  which  he  walked  across  the  square. 

"  Halloa,  Perry,"  said  a  voice,  as  he  was  about 
to  force  his  way  through  the  throng,  "  so  you  *ve 
got  here  safely  ?  " 

Perry  turned  and  saw  Mason. 

"Yes;  I  turned  up  at  the  Coffee  House  a  few 
hours  ago.  Is  there  going  to  be  any  court 
to-day?" 

"  Of  course  there  is.  There  '11  be  about  six 
hundred  troops  in  town  before  the  opening,  and 
Shays  has  only  a  few  followers  scattered  outside. 
He  can't  hold  'em  together,  and  they  '11  never  dare 
to  attack  Shepard.  I  was  just  thinking  about  you, 
and  was  going  to  look  up  the  standing  of  your 
matters,  but  you've  saved  me  the  trouble." 

"Thank  you.  That  boy  seemed  to  be  out  of 
190 


Captain  Shays. 

danger,  so  I  left  him.  I  came  on  by  night,  so 
escaped  observation." 

"  Did  you  meet  your  friend  Luke  Day  on  the 
way  ?  "  asked  Mason,  with  a  laugh. 

"  No.  I  Jm  afraid  his  forces  are  hopelessly  dis 
persed.  I  saw  one  of  'em,  and  sent  him  back  to 
look  after  young  Brown.  With  this  exception  I 
have  not  set  eyes  on  any  of  them  since  that 
memorable  attack  in  Shutesbury." 

"  Shays  will  be  disappointed,  for  he 's  expecting 
reinforcements.  Come  into  the  hall;  I  want  to 
look  up  something  before  the  crowd  begins  to 
move.  Every  one 's  on  hand  early  this  morning, 
and  I  guess  we  can  get  to  work  before  long." 

With  some  shoving  and  pushing  the  two  young 
men  finally  succeeded  in  gaining  an  entrance. 


191 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

ON  the  third  day  after  his  arrival  in  Springfield, 
William  Perry  left  it  again,  and  started  back 
toward  Petersham  in  company  with  a  squad  of 
militia  which  had  orders  to  pass  northward  through 
Pelham  and  Barre  to  disperse  such  of  the  insur 
gents  as  they  might  find  collected  along  their  route. 
Perry  had  not  been  able  to  accomplish  much  be 
fore  the  court,  owing  to  the  constant  disturbances 
about  the  Court  House  and  outside  the  town  ;  and 
he  was  much  relieved  when  the  justices  adjourned, 
and  Shays  and  Day,  satisfied  for  the  time  being 
with  their  achievements,  decided  to  retire  from  the 
scene  of  action.  At  Pelham  he  bade  farewell  to 
his  escort,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day 
after  leaving  Springfield  he  rode  into  Petersham 
village  and  on  toward  Deacon  Brown's  forge. 

It  was  now  the  middle  of  September,  and  the 
country  about  him  had  begun  to  put  on  its  coat  of 
many  colors.     The  air  was  crisp,  even  cool,  and  he 
192 


Captain  Shays. 

had  enjoyed  his  ride,  and  his  spirits  had  been  good 
most  of  the  way.  But  when  from  the  hillside  he 
saw  the  house  and  barn  of  the  Brown  farm,  his 
mood  suddenly  changed,  and  his  thoughts  returned 
to  Ruth  and  her  father. 

"  I  wonder  if  the  old  man  will  listen  to  me,"  he 
mused,  with  his  eyes  strained  toward  the  hill 
across  the  valley.  "They  told  me  that  the  boy 
had  been  taken  home  by  his  friend.  I  don't  know 
whether  his  father  will  be  toned  down  or  stirred 
up  by  the  sight  of  his  battle-scarred  son." 

About  midway  between  Petersham  village  and 
the  farm,  where  the  road  wound  down  between  the 
thick  pine  woods,  was  a  tiny  brook  where  Perry 
had  stopped  to  water  the  mare  on  his  journey  west. 
This  brook  flowed  south,  then  west,  finally  joining 
the  larger  stream  in  the  valley  below,  which  ran 
on  through  meadow  and  forest,  into  Swift  River. 

Still  absorbed  in  thought,  Perry  was  descending 
the  uneven  pitch  with  care,  when  he  was  roused  by 
a  sound  among  the  trees  next  him.  He  turned  his 
head,  but  seeing  nothing,  proceeded  quietly  until 
he  reached  the  ford,  where  he  guided  Molly  a  little 
to  the  left,  and  let  her  drink  in  the  pool  under  the 
boulders.  He  resumed  his  journey  down  round 
the  curve  over  the  dam,  and  on  up  toward  the 
brow  of  the  hill  looking  down  on  the  smithy. 
'3  193 


Captain  Shays. 

From  the  smoke  issuing  from  the  blacksmith's 
shop,  he  knew  that  Deacon  Brown  must  be  there, 
and  he  hesitated  a  moment  before  going  down 
toward  it.  At  last  he  started  on  again  and  pulled 
up  before  the  open  door. 

The  blacksmith  was  standing  at  the  bench  with 
his  back  toward  the  road,  and  did  not  notice 
Perry  as  he  approached.  For  a  few  moments  the 
young  man  sat  in  the  saddle  and  watched  him.  It 
seemed  to  Perry  that  the  deacon  had  changed 
much  since  he  first  saw  him ;  that  his  back  was 
not  as  straight  as  it  had  been  ;  and  that  his  hand 
moved  less  firmly  and  with  less  steadiness.  There 
was  an  uncertain,  hesitating  manner  as  he  picked 
up  the  tools  and  examined  his  work,  and  Perry's 
heart  softened  as  he  watched  him. 

"  The  poor  old  chap,"  he  thought,  still  looking 
at  him,  "  trying  to  work  and  earn  enough  to 
keep  body  and  soul  together,  and  with  this  debt 
hanging  over  him.  I  '11  try  to  be  patient  with  him. 
Here  goes  for  a  brave  dash."  He  dropped  from 
the  saddle,  and  passing  his  arm  through  the  bridle, 
walked  up  to  the  open  door  and  called  out  pleas 
antly,  — 

"  Good-day,  Mr.  Brown.  Busy,  I  see,  as  usual. 
I  promised  to  call  on  you  on  my  return,  and  here 
I  am." 

194 


Captain  Shays. 

Deacon  Brown  dropped  his  tools  upon  the  bench. 
He  turned  suddenly  round  and  stared  at  the  young 
man  with  bloodshot  eyes,  and  for  a  moment  did 
not  speak,  but  stood  motionless,  examining  Perry 
carefully.  Then  the  frown  disappeared,  and  he 
seemed  to  recognize  him,  and  said  slowly,  — 

"  Oh !  so  you  're  back,  are  ye  ?  I  'm  busy  and 
can't  speak  with  ye  to-day.  I  Ve  been  to  Boston 
and  fixed  everything  up  with  Piper,  and  we  don't 
neither  of  us  want  any  help  from  ye." 

Perry  looked  at  him  in  amazement. 

"  You  've  been  to  Boston,  Mr.  Brown  ?  "  he  said 
doubtingly. 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  I  made  that  'ere  little  thief  do  as 
I  told  him  to.  It 's  all  fixed." 

Perry  still  examined  him  carefully,  wondering 
whether  he  was  trying  to  put  him  off.  Then  he 
said  with  a  smile,  — 

"  I  'm  very  glad,  Mr.  Brown,  if  you  Ve  been  able 
to  arrange  matters  satisfactorily.  Do  you  mind 
telling  me  what  you  did  ?  " 

"  I  treated  ye  kind  of  rough  the  last  time  you 
was  here,  and  I  ain't  changed  my  mind  about 
ye  and  your  sneaking  business.  But  Abe  here," 
pointing  at  the  young  man  standing  by  the  bellows, 
whom  Perry  had  not  noticed  on  entering  the  shop, 
"says  ye  was  good  to  Jimmy,  and  did  what  ye 
'95 


Captain  Shays. 

could  for  him  after  he  was  hurt.  I  thank  ye,  sir, 
for  that,  and  perhaps  it  '11  make  up  for  some  of 
your  sins." 

Perry  smiled  and  answered,  — 

"  That  was  nothing,  Mr.  Brown.  I  had  plenty 
of  time,  and  the  poor  boy  was  in  a  bad  way.  How 
is  he  now? " 

"  Getting  along  all  right,  only  it 's  knocked  out 
the  little  sense  he  had.  But  I  was  a  going  to  say, 
Ruth  tried  to  make  me  promise  to  speak  to  ye 
when  I  come  home,  and  when  Abe  told  me  about 
Jimmy  I  said  I  would.  But  I  don't  trust  ye,  and 
I  'm  only  doing  it  'cause  I  said  I  would." 

"  I  'm  glad  you  Ve  decided  to  do  so.  Now  tell 
me  what  you  did  in  Boston.  It  may  make  a  differ 
ence  in  what  I  shall  do  when  I  return  there." 

"Well,  I  '11  tell  ye,  and  then  ye  can  be  going. 
I  give  Piper  a  new  note,  and  he  give  me  a  receipt 
for  them  others." 

Perry  gave  a  sudden  start,  and  looked  at  the 
blacksmith  closely. 

"  You  gave  him  a  new  note  ?     For  how  much  ?  " 

"  Three  hundred  dollars,  to  be  sure." 

"  And  what  kind  of  a  receipt  did  he  give  you  ?  " 

"  Here  it  is,"  said  Brown,  drawing  it  forth  from 
his  pocket.  Perry  took  it  and  read  it,  then  uttered 
an  exclamation. 

196 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Why,  Mr.  Brown,  this  is  no  good.  It  was  n't 
even  signed,  and  it's  bad  in  form.  That  little 
rascal  has  cheated  you,  and  he  has  now  your  notes 
for  six  hundred  dollars.  I  wrote  him  a  week  ago 
that  the  notes  I  have  would  be  paid,  and  now  you 
have  spoiled  everything." 

The  blacksmith  stared  at  him  a  moment,  and 
then  a  look  of  suspicion  came  into  his  eyes. 

"  I  guess,  sir,  it 's  all  right,"  he  said.  "  Jest  give 
me  back  that  paper,  and  how  about  them  notes  you 
have  ?  Seems  to  me  that  they  're  mine.  Will  you 
kindly  give  'em  to  me  ? " 

"  I  can't  do  that  now,  for  I  have  no  authority 
to  part  with  them  until  they  are  paid,  and  I 
have  no  proof  that  they  have  been  paid  as  yet. 
But  I  '11  look  out  for  them  for  you,  and  try  to 
straighten  this  thing  out.  You  've  made  a  bad 
mess  of  it,  sir,  and  it 's  lucky  I  have  the 
notes." 

"  Lucky  for  who  ?  "  said  Brown,  his  brows  con 
tracting.  "  Lucky  for  you,  I  guess,  and  you  meant 
to  keep  'em  all  the  time.  You  're  jest  what  I  said 
you  was,  and  I  'm  a  damned  fool  to  have  anything 
to  do  with  ye.  You  Ve  got  them  notes,  have  ye  ? 
Well,  they  won't  do  ye  no  good,  and  you  '11  have 
to  try  to  cheat  some  one  else." 

Perry  had  made  up  his  mind  not  to  get  angry 

'97 


Captain  Shays. 

with  the  man,  for  it  had  become  very  evident  that 
he  was  not  wholly  responsible  for  what  he  did 
and  said.  He  decided,  therefore,  to  say  nothing 
further  about  the  matter,  and  to  act  according  to 
his  own  judgment. 

"  Very  well,  then,"  he  said  cheerfully,  "  as  you 
have  everything  settled  I  can  be  of  no  further 
service  to  you,  and  will  be  moving  along." 

He  mounted  the  mare,  and  rode  away,  leaving 
the  blacksmith  and  Abe  Morse  staring  after  him. 
When  he  reached  the  turn  in  the  road  leading 
toward  Barre,  he  hesitated  a  moment,  then 
guided  Molly  round  to  the  left,  and  a  little  later 
rapped  on  the  shed  door,  which  was  opened  by 
Jimmy  himself,  his  head  bandaged  and  his  face 
very  pale. 

"  Well,  my  boy,  I  'm  glad  to  see  you  about 
again,"  said  Perry,  taking  the  youth's  hand. 
"  You  look  rather  poorly,  though.  Is  your  sister 
in  ?  Yes  ?  Can  I  speak  to  her  a  moment  ?  " 

"  She 's  in  the  kitchen,  sir.  Won't  you  come 
in?" 

"  I  think  not.  I  Ve  just  seen  your  father,  and 
I  'm  afraid  he  '11  not  approve  of  my  coming  up 
here  at  all." 

Jimmy  went  into  the  house,  and  in  a  few  mo 
ments  Ruth  appeared.  Perry  was  really  startled 
198 


Captain  Shays. 

when  he  saw  her.  Her  face  was  worn  and  thin, 
and  she  took  his  proffered  hand  with  a  sad  smile, 
as  she  said,  — 

"  You  've  been  very  kind  to  Jimmy,  sir." 

"  Don't  speak  of  it,  Miss  Brown,"  answered 
Perry,  with  an  attempt  at  gayety.  "  I  Ve  just 
seen  your  father,  and  he  has  told  me  of  what 
he  's  done  with  Piper.  I  wish  to  ask  you  not  to 
worry  about  these  things.  Your  father  does  not 
trust  me,  but  I  feel  that  you  do,  and  that  you 
will  believe  what  I  tell  you.  He  has  made  a  great 
blunder,  but  I  think  I  can  make  it  all  right  if  you 
will  help  me.  Your  father's  mind  is  overwrought 
by  all  these  worries,  and  you  must  try  to  deceive 
him  a  little.  If  he  says  that  I  am  cheating  him, 
agree  with  him,  and  in  the  mean  while  I  will  see 
Piper." 

"  You  are  very,  very  kind,"  said  Ruth,  looking 
up  into  his  eyes,  gratefully.  "  I  do  trust  you,  and 
I  '11  follow  your  advice.  Father  's  breaking  down, 
and  I  'm  beginning  to  lose  control  of  him.  There 
was  a  time  when  he  would  do  anything  for  me,  but 
he  's  changed  so  much  lately." 

"  Keep  a  brave  heart,  Miss  Brown,"  answered 

Perry.     "  I  '11  send  you  word  of  what  I  do.     Keep 

your  eyes  open  for  the  post.     Now  I  must  go,  or 

your  father  will  see  me  and  suspect  something. 

199 


Captain  Shays. 

I  feel  sure  that  Jimmy  will  keep  our  secret. 
Good-bye." 

Ruth  stood  and  watched  him  until  he  disap 
peared  over  the  ledge  on  the  road  to  Barre.  Then 
with  a  sigh  she  turned  and  went  into  the  house. 

Three  days  later  William  Perry  crossed  Charles- 
town  bridge  into  Boston,  and  rode  directly  to 
Jerry  Piper's  shop. 


200 


CHAPTER  XX. 

IT  was  now  the  end  of  November.  The  legisla 
ture  in  extra  session  had  received  the  petitions 
from  the  malcontents  all  over  the  State ;  heard  the 
address  of  the  governor ;  and  passed  measures  of 
relief  which,  it  was  thought,  would  satisfy  the  peo 
ple  and  cause  them  to  lay  down  their  arms  and 
return  to  their  homes.  But  the  leaders  —  Shays, 
Day,  Shattuck,  Parsons,  and  Wheeler  —  were  not 
sincere,  and  were  looking  further  than  to  the 
welfare  of  the  farmers.  They  wished  control  of 
government,  and  the  power  and  benefit  it  would 
bring  them  individually.  So  it  was  that,  notwith 
standing  the  good  intentions  and  generous  actions 
of  government,  the  insurgents  still  kept  on  in  their 
mad  career,  regardless  of  everything. 

William  Perry  was  sitting  in  his  office  on  King 
Street,  absorbed  in  the  study  of  some  legal  docu 
ments,  when  the  door  opened  and  Jeremiah  Piper 
crept  into  the  room,  hat  in  hand.  He  looked 
about  him  to  make  sure  that  no  stranger  was 
present,  then  went  forward  and  spoke,  — 
201 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Good-day,  sir.  I  've  come  to  see  you  about 
the  mortgage.  You  remember  that  when  you  paid 
the  notes  and  the  hundred  dollars,  I  agreed  to  let 
it  run  for  six  weeks  beyond  its  date.  The  time 
will  be  up  in  three  days,  sir,  and  I  shall  be  obliged 
to  foreclose  unless  something  is  done  in  the  mean 
while.  I  'm  sorry,  sir,  very  sorry,  but  I  've  lost 
a  great  deal  of  money  lately,  and  the  new  laws 
make  it  very  hard  for  me." 

Perry  looked  at  him  a  moment  with  a  con 
temptuous  smile.  Then  he  said, — 

"  I  understand  you  perfectly,  Mr.  Piper,  and  I 
think  you  know  it.  When  I  paid  you  the  four 
hundred  dollars  you  agreed  not  to  foreclose  with 
out  giving  me  ample  notice.  Do  you  consider 
three  days  sufficient  time  in  which  to  make  such 
arrangements,  in  excited  times  like  these?  No 
court  will  sustain  you,  sir,  and  I  have  your  written 
agreement,  and  it  provides  also  that  you  shall  for 
feit  your  claim  if  you  divulge  the  name  of  the 
person  who  took  up  the  notes." 

"  I  know  it,  sir,  I  know  it,"  answered  Piper, 
persuasively,  "  and  that  is  why  I  Ve  come  to  see 
you.  I  said  the  mortgage  was  due  in  three  days, 
but  not  that  I  intended  foreclosing  in  that  time.  I 
want  to  learn  what  you  consider  a  reasonable  time." 

"Mr.  Piper,"   said   Perry,  coolly,  "you   are   a 

202 


Captain  Shays. 

miserable  little  villain,  and  if  I  did  as  I  'm  inclined 
to  do  I  'd  take  you  by  the  nape  of  your  neck  and 
throw  you  out  of  that  window.  But  you'd  land 
on  your  feet  like  a  cat,  and  come  back  to  trouble 
us  all  again,  so  my  efforts  would  avail  little. 
You  Ve  had  two  good  lawyers,  Mr.  Ames  and  my 
self,  and  had  you  been  honest  we  would  have  con 
tinued  to  serve  you.  But  you  took  advantage  of  a 
poor  broken-down  man  who  at  best  knew  nothing 
of  business,  and  whose  mind  had  been  weakened 
so  that  he  was  easily  deceived.  You  hoped  to  get 
double  the  amount  he  owed  you,  but  fortunately  I 
was  in  a  position  to  prevent  this.  I  shall  give 
you  no  time  in  this  matter.  You  may  follow  your 
own  inclinations,  but  I  warn  you  that  I  am  watch 
ing  you,  and  I  advise  you  to  move  carefully." 

The  money-lender  looked  up  at  him  from  under 
his  eyebrows  and  smiled. 

"  I  'm  sorry,  sir,  that  you  won't  look  at  things 
more  fairly.  I  Ve  been  very  easy  on  this  gentle 
man,  and  I  do  not  wish  to  press  him  ;  but  I  shall 
be  obliged  to  foreclose." 

"  How  do  you  propose  to  go  about  it  ?  "  asked 
Perry,  with  a  confident  smile.  "  It  seems  to  me 
that  you  '11  have  a  good  deal  of  trouble  under  the 
circumstances.  It's  difficult  to  get  judgment  at 
present." 

203 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  'm  advised  to  enter  the  premises,  sir,  and  that 
is  the  mode  I  shall  take." 

"  Under  the  statute  of  '85  ?  Very  well,  Mr. 
Piper.  This  is  the  nineteenth  day  of  November, 
and  you  are  probably  aware  that  the  General 
Court  has  risen,  having  endeavored  to  pacify  the 
malcontents,  but  without  apparent  success.  In 
order  to  make  an  entry  it  will  be  necessary  for 
you  to  take  a  perilous  journey,  and  as  I  have  had 
some  experience  in  such  matters,  I  advise  you  to 
postpone  your  trip  until  the  farmers  are  in  a  pleas- 
anter  mood.  You  have  had  occasion  to  see  Mr. 
Brown  when  under  the  influence  of  passion,  and 
he  has  told  me  that  he  intends  to  strangle  you  if 
you  appear  in  Petersham.  Were  I  sure  that  this 
would  be  the  outcome  of  your  visit,  I  would  not 
ask  you  to  delay  it,  and  not  on  that  account  do  I 
suggest  your  postponing  action." 

"  I  Ve  taken  precautions,  sir,"  said  the  little 
man,  with  a  wicked  look  in  his  eyes,  "  and  threats 
will  do  no  good.  The  court  meets  in  Worcester 
day  after  to-morrow,  and  my  attorney  has  already 
begun  proceeding  of  foreclosure.  The  case  will  be 
heard  in  Worcester  on  the  twenty-first,  and  if  any 
thing  should  prevent  this  I  shall  proceed  to  Peters 
ham  and  enter  the  premises  in  company  with  an 
officer  of  the  law  and  proper  witnesses.  I  won't 
204 


Captain  Shays. 

trouble  you  any  more,  sir.  I  am  advised  that 
our  agreement  is  not  binding,  and  that  I  can  now 
enter  for  non-performance  of  the  conditions  of  the 
mortgage.  Good-day,  sir." 

"  You  damned  little  scamp,"  said  Perry,  rising 
in  a  passion,  "leave  my  office,  and  do  what  you 
please.  I  know  what  your  rights  are,  and  propose 
to  see  that  you  don't  exceed  them.  Get  out  of 
here,  I  say,"  he  went  on,  advancing  toward  the 
cringing  figure. 

"  I  '11  leave  immediately,"  said  Piper,  raising  his 
hand  deprecatingly.  "  Personal  abuse  sometimes 
costs  money,  Mr.  Perry.  Good-morning." 

He  backed  out  of  the  door,  and  Perry  returned 
to  his  desk  and  sat  down. 

"  What 's  to  be  done  now  ?  "  he  thought,  pulling 
over  his  papers,  and  taking  one  of  them  up. 
"  Here  's  the  agreement.  I  Ve  paid  four  hundred 
dollars  out  of  my  own  pocket,  and  I  have  nothing 
to  show  for  it  but  this  note,  which  is  not  very  valu 
able.  Why  have  I  done  this?  " 

He  read  the  paper  through  carefully,  and  then 
began  musing  again. 

"  Well,  there  's  just  one  thing  about  it.     I  'm 

going  to  jump  on  to  Molly  this  afternoon,  and  ride 

to  Petersham  and  give  them  warning.     If  this  old 

rascal  gets  heard  in  Worcester,  then  I  '11  try  to 

205 


Captain  Shays. 

make  some  settlement  with  him.  If  not,  and  he 
attempts  to  enter  the  premises,  I  'm  inclined  to 
think  that  he'll  meet  with  opposition." 

He  rose,  and  after  arranging  his  papers,  went 
out  and  down  King  Street.  When  he  reached  the 
building  where  Fisher  Ames  had  his  office,  an  idea 
came  to  him  suddenly. 

"  I  '11  run  in  and  consult  Ames,"  he  thought, 
stopping  and  turning  into  the  doorway.  "He '11 
willingly  give  me  his  advice." 

During  the  past  few  weeks  Fisher  Ames  had 
been  very  busy  assisting  in  the  framing  of  the  new 
laws  which  were  intended  to  satisfy  the  discon 
tented  people.  The  legislature  had  just  risen,  and 
he  had  returned  to  his  office  to  gather  up  the 
ragged  ends  of  his  business,  which  had  sorely  suf 
fered  from  recent  neglect.  When  Perry  entered, 
he  found  Ames  buried  in  a  mass  of  papers,  and 
evidently  very  much  occupied,  for  he  did  not  at 
first  notice  the  young  man. 

"  Good-morning,  Ames,"  said  Perry,  in  his  ac 
customed  cheerful  manner.  "  Our  old  friend  has 
been  in  to  see  me  again.  What  an  infernal  little 
rascal  he  is !  " 

"Good-morning,  Perry.  Do  you  mean  Jere 
miah  ?  "  said  Ames,  with  a  smile. 

"  I  do,  Ames.  I  don't  know  how  I  kept  my 
206 


Captain  Shays. 

hands  off  him.  He 's  going  to  foreclose  that 
Brown  mortgage  if  he  can,  and  I  want  to  prevent 
him." 

u  My  dear  Perry,"  said  Ames,  frankly,  "  has  he 
not  a  right  to  foreclose  ?  I  believe  the  mortgage 
is  over-due,  and  that  the  mortgageor  has  paid  no 
interest  of  late.  Such  is  my  impression,  although 
I  have  given  the  matter  no  attention  since  Piper 
discharged  us,  and  employed  Mason." 

"Of  course  it's  over-due,"  answered  Perry,  a 
little  confusedly,  "  but  Brown  and  his  daughter  are 
suffering,  and  it 's  a  shame  to  allow  them  to  be  put 
out  of  house  and  home." 

"  It 's  certainly  very  hard,  and  I  admire  your 
kindness  of  heart ;  but  there  are  hundreds,  nay, 
thousands  of  others  who  are  in  the  same  position, 
and  they  have  brought  it  about  by  their  own  folly* 
I  advise  you  not  to  trouble  yourself  further  about 
it.  You  cannot  afford,  as  much  as  you  would  wish 
to  do  it,  to  carry  all  the  burdens." 

"  I  know  it,  I  know  it,  Ames,  but  this  is  a  pe 
culiar  case :  a  poor,  broken-down,  honest,  hard 
working  man,  with  a  useless  son,  and  a  daughter 
who  is  worth  saving.  I  Ve  seen  them,  and  I 
have  n't  seen  all  the  others.  I  can't  bear  to  think 
of  them  as  bankrupt  and  homeless." 

"  There  is   a  daughter  ? "  said  Ames,   looking 
207 


Captain  Shays. 

up  at  Perry  inquisitively.  "The  dairy-maid? 
Did  n't  I  tell  you  beware  the  dairy-maid  ?  You  've 
not  heeded  my  warning,  Perry." 

The  young  man  looked  a  little  annoyed  for  a 
moment ;  then  he  said  with  a  smile,  — 

"In  a  way  you  are  right,  Ames.  It  is  the 
daughter  for  whom  I  have  the  most  pity.  She  's 
a  fine  girl,  and  if  you  could  see  her  devotion  you 
would  feel  as  I  do." 

"  Not  exactly,"  said  Ames,  with  an  unaccount 
able  expression  in  his  intelligent  eyes. 

"What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Perry,  quickly, 
flushing  as  he  caught  the  other's  look. 

"  I  mean,"  said  Ames,  rising,  and  putting  his 
hand  on  Perry's  shoulder,  "  that  there  is  some 
thing  inside  you  which  has  not  yet  come  to  the 
surface;  that  is,  you  have  not  yet  perceived  it. 
I,  however,  have  suspected  it  for  some  time;  in 
fact,  ever  since  you  last  returned  from  Petersham 
before  the  meeting  of  the  General  Court.  What 
it  is  I  shall  not  tell  you,  but  you  will  discover  it 
before  long.  No,  Perry,  I  do  not  blame  you  for 
taking  this  interest  in  these  people ;  but  you  cannot 
expect  me  to  see  much  difference  in  their  case  from 
that  of  many  others.  Piper  is  a  rascal,  a  cheating 
little  knave ;  but  he  holds  the  mortgage,  and  the 
consideration  was  paid.  The  courts  will  sustain 
208 


Captain  Shays. 

him  in  any  event,  unless  fraud  can  be  shown,  and 
I  'm  inclined  to  think  that  he  is  too  sharp  to  allow 
any  to  be  detected.  Unless  you  can  make  some 
settlement  with  him,  I  see  no  way  out  of  it." 

Perry  looked  at  his  friend  in  a  bewildered  way, 
and  did  not  speak  for  some  moments.  Then  he 
said  slowly,  fingering  the  papers  upon  the  desk  : 

"I  —  I  understand  what  you  mean,  Ames,  and 
I  take  no  offence,  but  you  are  entirely  mistaken. 
I  Ve  only  a  natural  interest  in  these  poor  people, 
and  want  to  help  them.  But  I  see  clearly  that  you 
are  right.  Piper  has  the  winning  hand,  and  unless 
something  can  be  done  at  once,  they  are  doomed." 

"  Don't  misunderstand  me,  Perry,"  said  Ames, 
kindly.  "  I  'd  do  a  great  deal  for  you,  and  if  there 
was  any  encouragement  I  could  give  you,  I  would 
do  so  willingly.  But  there  is  none,  and  the  only 
thing  to  be  done  is  to  persuade  Piper  to  make  a 
settlement.  You  know  better  than  I  whether  or  not 
this  is  possible." 

"  I  thank  you,  Ames,  and  I  know  that  you  are 
speaking  wisely.  Yet  I  cannot  see  this  thing  go 
on.  I  shall  try  in  some  way  to  prevent  it." 

"And  I  sincerely  hope  that  you  may  succeed. 
If  you  need  advice  or  assistance  call  on  me  at  any 
time.  I  shall  always  be  at  your  service." 

"  I  thank  you  again.     Good-bye." 
14  209 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Good-bye,  Perry,  and  do  not  be  offended  at 
what  I  have  said.  We  are  old  friends,  and  for  that 
reason  I  have  taken  liberties  with  you.  You  will 
soon  see  that  I  am  not  mistaken." 

William  Perry  walked  through  to  Clark  Square 
in  a  distracted  mood.  Something  was  on  his 
mind  which  he  had  not  noticed  before  his  interview 
with  Ames.  He  knew  very  well  what  it  was,  but 
he  laughed  and  denied  it  to  himself. 

"  It's  too  absurd,"  he  tried  to  persuade  himself, 
as  he  entered  his  lodgings.  "  It 's  perfectly  natural 
that  I  should  be  interested  in  these  people." 

Two  hours  later  he  was  riding  over  Charlestown 
bridge,  but  he  was  neither  singing  nor  whistling; 
he  was  thinking  of  what  Ames  had  said  to  him, 
and  trying  to  explain  it  to  himself. 


210 


CHAPTER  XXL 

OERRY  rode  on  through  Concord,  Groton,  and 
*  Gerry,  and,  as  it  happened,  escaped  serious 
interruption,  although  at  this  time  Middlesex  was 
in  a  state  of  ferment,  and  Job  Shattuck  and  his 
men  were  playing  the  part  of  highwaymen  with 
some  success,  and  travelling  alone  was  dangerous. 
But  General  Brooks  was  on  his  way  to  disperse 
them,  and  this  so  much  occupied  their  attention, 
that  the  insurgent  leaders  let  the  quiet-appearing 
young  man  pass  without  molesting  him. 

The  country  had  become  familiar  to  him  of  late. 
Molly  took  the  roads  without  guiding,  and  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  second  day  he  passed  over  the 
turnpike  toward  Petersham.  It  seemed  to  him 
that  the  houses  he  passed  were  nearly  all  deserted, 
and  he  soon  made  up  his  mind  that  the  men  had 
gone  to  join  the  insurgents,  and  that  the  women 
had  gathered  in  some  place  to  await  their  return. 

How  different  was  the  scene  from  that  upon 
which  he  had  looked  two  months  before !  The 

211 


Captain  Shays. 

trees  were  bare  of  leaves  ;  the  ferns  and  golden-rod 
were  dying  by  the  roadside,  and  in  the  fields ;  and 
Mount  Monadnock  was  capped  with  white,  glis 
tening  in  the  sunlight  like  a  great  diamond.  It 
was  not  only  his  surroundings  that  had  changed 
in  these  few  weeks.  Perry  himself  had  been 
touched  as  well  as  the  trees  and  flowers,  and  he 
began  to  realize  it.  When  the  snow-topped  moun 
tain  came  in  sight  from  the  brow  of  the  hill,  he 
pulled  in  the  mare  and  looked  at  the  view  before 
him.  Toward  the  left,  over  woods  and  rolling 
hills,  rose  the  spire  of  Petersham  church  ;  in 
front,  beyond  the  valley,  the  summit  of  the  hill 
where  stood  the  farm,  backed  by  Monadnock ;  to 
his  right  Wachusett.  What  a  beautiful  panorama 
it  was  in  the  clear  autumn  air.  What  a  pity  it  was 
that  its  lords  and  masters  could  not  enjoy  it  in 
peace ! 

"  Well,"  he  thought,  with  a  look  of  determina 
tion  on  his  handsome  face,  as  he  touched  Molly 
and  began  to  descend  the  steep  sandy  road, 
"they  sha'n't  be  driven  from  it  if  I  can  help  it. 
I  Ve  decided  what  I  '11  do." 

He  smiled  with  satisfaction,  as  he  continued  on 

down  the  hill.     He  had  nearly  reached  the  bottom, 

where  the  brook  flowed  across  the  road  under  the 

hemlocks,  when  he  was  roused  from  his  reveries 

212 


Captain  Shays. 

by  a  crackling  sound  near  him,  and  on  turning 
quickly,  noticed  the  figure  of  a  man  emerging  from 
the  brush  by  the  side  of  the  stream.  The  next 
moment  Perry's  hand  went  to  his  holster,  for  he 
had  recognized  his  old  acquaintance,  Captain  Luke 
Day.  He  was  about  to  draw  forth  the  pistol, 
when  his  hand  was  tightly  grasped,  and  turning 
again,  he  saw  that  he  was  held  by  two  men  who 
had  stolen  up  behind  him  while  his  attention  was 
on  Day.  He  made  an  effort  to  free  himself,  but 
could  not,  and  before  he  was  able  to  drop  the  reins 
and  reach  his  other  pistol,  he  was  surrounded  by  a 
dozen  or  more  men,  who  dragged  him  to  the 
ground.  It  had  all  been  done  so  quickly  that  not 
a  word  had  been  spoken. 

Perry  strained  every  nerve,  and  at  one  time 
shook  the  men  from  him ;  but  they  were  soon  back 
again,  and  at  last  he  relaxed  and  looked  from  one 
to  the  other  until  his  eyes  met  those  of  Day.  Then 
suddenly  an  idea  came  to  him,  and  he  gave  a  pecu 
liar  whistle.  With  a  bound  and  a  kick,  Molly 
dashed  down  the  hill  and  out  of  sight  round  the 
curve. 

"They'll  know  whom  she  belongs  to,"  he 
thought  rapidly.  Then  speaking  aloud,  he  said, 
addressing  Day  :  — 

"  Oh,  you  rascally  blackguard,  I  suppose  you  're 
213 


Captain  Shays. 

satisfied  now  that  you  Ve  overpowered  me  by  brute 
force.  Do  you  want  to  let  me  loose  for  just  five 
minutes?  No?  I  didn't  imagine  that  you  did, 
you  coward.  I  advise  you  not  to,  for  I  'd  skin 
you  and  crack  every  bone  in  your  body.  I  'm  not 
sure  that  I  sha'n't  be  able  to  do  it  anyway  ; "  and 
he  glared  at  the  captain. 

"  You  see,  Mr.  Lawyer,"  answered  Day,  smiling 
contemptuously,  "that  we  have  to  be  careful  in 
these  anxious  times,  and  so  we  've  made  sure  of  ye 
this  time.  We  ain't  going  to  hurt  ye,  but  Captain 
Shays  thinks  ye  've  travelled  the  roads  too  much 
lately,  and  so  he  's  given  orders  that  we  shall  look 
after  ye  for  a  time,  and  we  Ve  fixed  up  some  com 
fortable  quarters  for  ye  just  down  beyond  those 
woods  to  the  left.  Sorry  you  've  got  to  walk,  but 
you  seemed  to  want  to  get  rid  of  your  horse,  so  it 's 
your  own  fault." 

"  Yes,"  answered  Perry,  defiantly,  "  she's  a  lady, 
and  I  'm  rather  particular  what  kind  of  company 
she  keeps.  Do  you  suppose  for  a  moment  that 
you  can  frighten  me  ?  It  is  possible  the  combined 
strength  of  —  let  me  see,  how  many  are  there  ?  — 
twelve  men  can  to  a  certain  extent  control  the 
actions  of  one ;  but  I  'm  perfectly  willing  to  take 
any  one  of  your  cut-throats  single-handed,  prefer 
ably  yourself." 

214 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Don't  call  names,  Mr.  Lawyer,"  said  Day, 
coming  up  to  him;  "it  won't  do  ye  any  good. 
Our  horses  are  hitched  right  yonder  down  the  lane, 
and  if  you  '11  be  kind  enough  to  come  along  we  '11 
get  on  'em  and  show  ye  what  a  pretty  place  we  've 
chosen  for  ye.  It 's  near  a  brook  with  the  trees 
a  spreading  over  ye,  and  the  little  birds  '11  sing  ye 
to  sleep." 

"  Stop  your  damned  impertinence,"  said  Perry, 
in  a  rage,  struggling  with  the  men,  and  dragging 
them  forward  in  his  attempt  to  reach  Day.  "  Your 
time  will  come  later,  as  sure  as  my  name  is  William 
Perry." 

"  That 's  a  nice  name,  Mr.  Perry,"  said  the  cap 
tain,  with  a  hoarse  laugh.  "  I  'm  glad  to  know  it. 
We  're  keeping  a  list  of  all  of  your  kind,  and  when 
we  begin  to  run  this  government  we  '11  put  ye 
aboard  a  nice  ship,  and  send  ye  to  join  your 
British  friends  across  the  water.  Now  we  '11  be 
moving." 

Perry  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and,  led  by  the 
men,  walked  in  the  direction  of  the  forest  over  the 
rough  lane,  and  through  the  stony  pastures.  At 
last  they  found  their  horses,  and  Day  and  four 
others  mounted.  "  Now,"  said  the  captain,  **  I 
guess  it  '11  be  a  good  idea  to  tie  him  up.  It  ain't 
far,  —  only  a  little  ways  down  by  the  brook.  It's 
2I5 


Captain  Shays. 

an  old  lumberman's  shanty,  and  you  '11  be  real 
comfortable.  Plenty  to  eat  and  drink,  and  a  fire 
to  warm  yourself  by  until  Cap'n  Shays  comes  over 
to  see  ye.  He 's  in  Rutland  now,  and  he 's  pretty 
busy.  Sent  his  compliments,  and  says  he  '11  try 
not  to  keep  ye  waiting  long.  Never  mind  about 
tying  him.  It  ain't  worth  while." 

Perry  deigned  no  notice  of  these  remarks,  but 
walked  quietly  along.  He  felt  certain  that  he  was 
more  than  a  match  for  Day,  and  that  he  could  get 
out  of  the  scrape  in  some  way,  if  he  was  only 
patient.  What  worried  him  most  was  the  fact  that 
Piper  would  come  to  Petersham  in  a  few  days  and 
attempt  to  take  possession  of  Brown's  property. 
The  blacksmith  would  know  nothing  of  the  pro 
ceedings,  and  would  be  sure  to  get  himself  into 
trouble.  Every  probability  presented  itself  to 
Perry's  mind,  and  he  soon  decided  that  he  must 
act  that  very  night  at  the  latest. 

After  about  half  a  mile's  walk  through  the  pines 
and  hemlocks,  Day  stopped  before  a  log  cabin. 
It  was  a  small  affair,  and  Perry  examined  it  care 
fully,  as  a  prisoner  does  his  gaol.  It  was  entirely 
surrounded  by  trees,  a  large  boulder  rising  to  one 
side  of  it,  and  behind,  not  more  than  fifty  yards 
distant,  ran  the  brook.  The  cabin  was  hidden 
from  the  lane  and  he  had  not  noticed  it  until  he 
216 


Captain  Shays. 

had  turned  round  the  high  boulder  which  completely 
shut  it  out  of  the  view  of  those  who  might  chance 
to  pass.  "  Here's  your  house,  Mr.  Perry,"  said 
Day,  with  a  military  salute.  "  You  're  better  off 
than  a  good  many  of  us  in  these  days.  What  we 
ought  to  have  done  is  to  make  ye  sleep  in  the  open 
air.  But  Cap'n  Shays  is  very  kind-hearted,  and 
was  afraid  you  'd  catch  cold.  Walk  right  in,  sir." 

Perry  looked  at  him  angrily,  but  did  as  he  was 
asked.  As  he  passed  through  the  low  door  he 
took  careful  note  of  everything.  There  was  a 
wooden  bench,  or  stand,  a  three-legged  stool,  and 
a  pile  of  straw  in  the  corner.  There  was  no  sign 
of  a  window,  and  as  it  was  now  late  in  the  after 
noon,  and  the  foliage  was  thick,  Perry  could  see 
very  little. 

"  Now,"  said  Day,  when  they  had  gone  in,  "we  've 
got  a  candle  for  ye,  and  some  bread  and  water. 
Cap'n  Shays  says  you  lawyers  have  sent  a  good 
many  innocent  people  to  prison,  and  he  wants  to 
give  ye  a  taste  of  what  it 's  like.  I  'm  going  to 
leave  four  gentlemen  to  look  after  ye,  and  I  '11  tell 
ye  for  your  comfort  that  three  of  'em  have  recently 
escaped  from  gaol,  so  they  '11  understand  what  to 
do.  Good-night,  sir.  A  pleasant  sleep  to  ye,  and 
I  guess  the  cap'n  '11  be  over  to  see  ye  before  long." 

Perry  again  vouchsafed  no  answer,  but  turning 
217 


Captain  Shays. 

his  back  to  the  door,  waited  until  the  men  had 
ridden  away. 

"  I  should  n't  mind  this  so  much,"  he  thought, 
"  if  I  was  sure  that  I  could  get  out  of  it  in  time  to 
head  off  Piper.  How  unfortunate  just  at  this  time  ! 
I  Ve  no  doubt  that  that  mountebank  was  telling 
the  truth  about  those  gaolbirds,  and  I  'm  not  going 
to  take  any  foolish  risks.  But  I  '11  get  out  some 
way  before  to-morrow,  or  everything  will  be  lost." 

The  door  was  now  closed  and  securely  fastened 
on  the  outside,  and  Perry  could  hear  the  men  talk 
ing  and  laughing.  He  crept  on  tip-toe  and  tried 
the  door.  There  was  a  cessation  in  the  conversa 
tion  outside,  and  he  heard  distinctly  the  snapping 
of  the  lock  of  a  gun.  He  immediately  withdrew, 
and  began  examining  the  logs  to  see  if  there  was 
any  weakness  in  them.  They  were  all  heavy, 
and  well-joined,  and  there  was  no  possibility  of  his 
moving  them.  At  last,  making  up  his  mind  that 
he  must  wait,  he  sat  on  the  stool,  took  the  loaf  of 
bread,  and  cut  a  piece  off  it  with  his  clasp  knife. 
Fortunately  he  had  his  flask  of  spirits,  and  a  few 
biscuits,  and  with  these  he  made  his  supper. 

For  some  hours  he  sat  in  the  darkness,  his  head 

on  his  hand,   listening  and   thinking.     Finally  it 

seemed  to  him  that  there  was  something  moving 

near  the  door,  and  the  next  moment  it  was  opened 

218 


Captain  Shays. 

a  crack,  and  he  could  see  the  outline  of  a  man's 
head  and  hat.  Then  he  heard  a  voice  whispering : 

"  He  's  asleep,  Bill.  Guess  we  can  take  a  nap. 
I  '11  set  up,  and  we  '11  take  turns.  If  I  hear  any 
thing  a  moving,  I  '11  wake  ye." 

The  door  was  then  closed  and  fastened,  and 
Perry  went  to  the  corner  and  lay  down  on  the 
straw  for  a  little  rest. 


219 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

RUTH  and  her  father  sat  in  the  kitchen  eating 
supper.  For  some  weeks  the  girl  had  been 
more  cheerful,  for  she  had  heard  from  Perry,  and 
by  following  his  advice  had  made  her  father  believe 
that,  matters  were  mending,  and  that  with  time 
everything  would  be  straightened  out.  The  notes 
had  been  paid,  but  neither  she  nor  Deacon  Brown 
realized  who  had  done  it.  Ruth  had  been  given 
to  understand  that  Piper  had  agreed  to  cancel 
them,  and  her  father  said,  "  The  little  rascal  was 
scart,  and  didn't  dare  claim  'em."  As  to  the 
mortgage,  it  had  been  extended,  and  there  would 
be  no  more  trouble  from  that  source  for  some  time 
to  come. 

As  is  often  the  case  with  those  who  wish  to  be 
kind  and  helpful,  Perry  had  undertaken  too  much, 
and  in  the  goodness  of  his  heart  had  kept  back 
from  them  the  true  facts.  He  had  not  told  Ruth 
that  the  mortgage  would  expire  in  November,  and 
neither  she  nor  her  father  suspected  such  to  be  the 
220 


Captain  Shays. 

case.  Had  they  known  this,  they  would  not  have 
been  surprised  upon  seeing  two  chaises  driven  up 
the  road,  and  stopped  before  the  shed  door. 

"  Seems  we  've  got  visitors,  Ruth,"  said  the 
blacksmith,  rising,  and  starting  for  the  door.  "  I 
hope  it  ain't  none  of  them  city  folks." 

Ruth  rose  to  follow  him,  and  then  they  passed 
through  the  shed.  As  they  reached  the  door  a  low 
groan  and  an  oath  came  from  Deacon  Brown,  and 
Ruth  grew  faint  and  leaned  against  the  casement. 
Getting  out  of  the  first  chaise  was  the  shrunken 
form  of  Jerry  the  money-lender. 

"What  does  he  want  here?"  growled  Brown, 
his  face  flushed  with  anger. 

"  I  don't  know,  father,"  gasped  Ruth,  clutching 
the  side  of  the  door.  "  I  don't  like  it.  See,  the 
others  are  getting  out,  and  they  're  all  walking  this 
way.  They've  seen  you,  and  that  dreadful  man 
is  going  to  speak  to  you." 

Ruth  was  right.  Jerry  Piper  advanced,  followed 
by  the  others,  and  began  to  speak. 

"Good-evening,  Mr.  Brown,"  he  said,  removing 
his  hat,  and  looking  up  with  a  sardonic  smile. 
"  I  'm  sorry  to  disturb  you,  but  I  could  n't  wait 
any  longer." 

"Wait  for  what?"  said  Brown,  glaring  at  him 
savagely  ;  "  wait  for  what  ?  Answer  me  quick." 

221 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  guess  you  know,  sir.     The  mortgage." 

"  The  what  ?  "  roared  the  blacksmith,  clenching 
his  fists.  "The  mor — the — what  are  ye  talking 
about  ? " 

He  stepped  toward  Piper,  who  withdrew  a  pace. 

"  I  'm  talking  about  the  mortgage  which  I  hold 
on  your  farm  here,"  said  Jerry,  taking  the  paper 
from  his  pocket  and  holding  it  before  the  black 
smith's  face.  "  It 's  overdue,  and  I  want  it  paid 
now  or  —  " 

Deacon  Brown  made  a  dash  for  the  paper ;  but 
the  money-lender  was  too  quick  for  him,  and 
jumped  to  one  side. 

"  None  of  this,  sir,"  said  one  of  the  other  men, 
stepping  up  between  them.  "  I  'm  the  officer,  and 
must  see  that  there  's  no  trouble." 

"You're  the  officer?"  said  Brown,  attempting 
to  push  the  man  one  side.  "  What  officer  are  ye  ? 
Whose  officer  are  ye?  What  business  has  any 
officer  on  my  premises  ?  Get  away  from  here,  or 
I  '11  strangle  the  lot  of  ye." 

"  Don't  get  excited,  Mr.  Brown,"  said  the  con 
stable,  firmly.  "  The  law  must  be  obeyed,  and  you 
must  remember  that  acts  of  violence  will  not  be 
tolerated  now.  Listen  quietly  to  what  this  gentle 
man  has  to  say." 

"  I  '11  listen  to  no  one,  least  to  that  'ere  sneaking 
222 


Captain  Shays. 

little  thief.  Take  him  away  from  here,  take  him 
away  !  Do  ye  hear  me  ?  I  don't  know  no  law  or 
lawyers,  or  blood-sucking  varmin." 

"  I  Ve  come,  Mr.  Brown,"  said  Piper,  from  be 
hind  the  constable,  "to  foreclose  the  mortgage." 

There  was  a  scream  from  the  shed,  and  Ruth 
rushed  out  and  took  her  father  by  the  arm.  The 
blacksmith's  face  was  purple,  and  he  was  trying  to 
speak,  but  the  words  would  not  come.  At  last  he 
put  his  hand  to  his  throat,  and  with  a  final  effort 
said  in  a  hoarse  voice,  — 

"  By  God,  I  '11  kill  ye  all !  Look  out  for  yeself, 
for  I  'm  done  with  patience.  You  Ve  lied  to  me, 
your  lawyer 's  lied  to  me,  and  I  '11  kill  ye,  and  I  '11 
throw  your  body  in  the  corn-field  for  the  crows 
to  pick  at." 

He  raised  his  great  fist  and  struck  at  the  con 
stable.  P'ortunately  for  the  latter  the  blow  fell 
wide  of  its  mark,  and  the  officer,  in  a  rage,  called 
to  one  of  the  other  men,  — 

"  Put  the  irons  on  him."  Then  turning  to  the 
blacksmith  he  went  on,  "I  have  orders,  sir,  to 
arrest  all  rebellious  and  dangerous  characters. 
Take  the  young  woman  into  the  house,  —  I  can't 
talk  with  her  here.  I  Ve  orders  to  arrest  all  such 
as  oppose  the  laws  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  you 
have  done  so.  Now  you  are  bound,  and  we  will 
223 


Captain  Shays. 

proceed  to  business.  Mr.  Piper  enters  and  takes 
possession  of  this  farm  for  breach  of  the  condi 
tions  of  the  mortgage  which  he  has  with  him. 
The  certificate  will  be  signed  by  these  witnesses 
and  recorded,  and  I  arrest  you  as  an  inciter  of 
rebellion,  and  as  a  breaker  of  the  laws.  It 's  no 
use,  sir.  Put  him  into  the  chaise.  Where  's  the 
young  woman  ?  " 

"She's  fainted,  Mr.  Constable,  and  I've  put 
her  on  the  bed  in  one  of  the  rooms." 

"  Very  well,  leave  her.  She  '11  come  to  in  a 
while.  You  have  now  possession,  Mr.  Piper,  and 
if  you  say  so  you  can  remain  here." 

"  No,  thank  you,"  said  Piper.  "  I  '11  leave  the 
young  lady  in  possession  until  she 's  feeling 
better." 

"  I  've  seen  lots  of  'em  faint  this  way.  It 's  the 
only  way  to  keep  'em  quiet,  somehow.  But  it 
ain't  dangerous.  She  '11  know  the  old  man 's  gone 
when  she  wakes  up." 

While  this  conversation  had  been  going  on, 
Deacon  Brown  had  been  struggling  with  the  two 
men,  but  had  not  spoken  a  word.  His  face  was 
swollen,  and  his  eyes  bloodshot  and  staring.  He 
rolled  them  about  wildly,  and  his  lips  moved,  but 
with  no  sound.  At  last  he  grew  quiet,  and  the  men 
got  into  the  chaises,  and  drove  away  toward  Barre. 
224 


Captain  Shays. 

It  had  now  grown  dark,  and  Ruth  lay  alone  in 
the  farm-house  on  her  father's  bed.  She  was  a 
brave  girl,  and  naturally  strong  and  vigorous,  and 
had  she  not  been  broken  down  by  care  and  starva 
tion,  she  could  have  borne  up  under  the  shock  she 
had  received  on  seeing  Piper,  and  hearing  what 
he  and  the  constable  had  said.  As  it  was,  she  was 
completely  overcome,  and  losing  consciousness  she 
was  laid  upon  the  bed  in  her  father's  room  off  the 
kitchen. 

How  long  she  lay  there  she  did  not  know,  but 
gradually  she  regained  her  senses,  and  a  confused 
sound  of  people  talking  seemed  to  reach  her  ears. 
She  opened  her  eyes,  but  could  see  nothing.  Then 
she  raised  herself  on  her  elbow  and  listened.  The 
sounds  she  had  heard  were  caused  by  the  blood 
rushing  through  her  arteries.  All  at  once  she  put 
her  hands  to  her  head  and  uttered  a  low  cry. 
The  whole  scene  was  coming  back  to  her,  and 
she  imagined  she  saw  her  father  being  bound 
and  dragged  away.  She  jumped  from  the  bed  and 
groped  in  the  dark  for  the  door.  At  last  she 
found  it,  and  pushed  it  open.  The  kitchen  was 
dark  as  the  bed-room.  She  put  both  her  hands  to 
her  head  and  strained  her  eyes  toward  the  window, 
through  which  the  moon  cast  its  pale  light  from 
over  the  tree-tops  in  the  grove,  causing  the  trees 
15  225 


Captain  Shays. 

in  the  orchard  to  take  varied  shapes  in  her  excited 
imagination.  Then  she  gave  a  loud  cry,  and  felt 
her  way  toward  the  shed  door.  Like  a  flash  the 
truth  came  to  her,  and  she  began  calling  wildly : 

"  Father !  Father  !  Where  are  you  ?  Jimmy, 
Abe !  Help  me,  they  have  taken  him  from  me  to 
kill  him." 

She  passed  out  on  to  the  road,  her  hair  hanging 
loose,  her  frock  unfastened  and  laid  back  from  her 
throat.  She  stopped  and  looked  down  the  road, 
then  called  again,  — 

"  Father,  Jimmy !  No,  Jimmy  's  away  with  Abe 
and  can't  hear  me.  My  God,  have  pity  on  me ! 
Where  is  he  ?  Oh  !  I  'm  so  weak,  so  weak,  and  I 
should  have  been  strong.  Help  !  Help  !  " 

Suddenly  she  stopped  and  listened.  She  had 
heard  something  coming  over  the  hill  beyond  the 
valley.  Surely  it  was  the  sound  of  a  horse  canter 
ing,  and  she  went  to  the  middle  of  the  road  and 
peered  down  between  the  maples  through  the 
moonlight.  The  sound  drew  nearer,  coming  up 
the  road,  but  Ruth  could  see  nothing  for  some 
moments.  Then  she  distinguished  the  form  of  a 
horse  coming  rapidly  toward  her,  and  she  breathed 
heavily.  The  next  moment  there  was  a  loud 
whinny,  and  Ruth  saw  in  front  of  her  a  riderless 
horse.  The  beast  dropped  into  a  trot,  then  into  a 
226 


Captain  Shays. 

walk,  and  finally  stopped  near  her.  Ruth  won 
dered  what  it  could  mean.  It  was  so  dark  under 
the  trees  that  she  could  not  recognize  the  animal, 
but  having  regained  some  of  her  strength,  and 
being  a  good  horsewoman,  she  went  boldly  up  to 
its  head  and  took  the  bridle.  It  was  then  that  she 
uttered  a  cry  of  pleasure,  for  she  now  knew  it.  It 
was  William  Perry's  mare,  Molly. 

"  Why,  it 's  Molly  !  "  said  Ruth,  putting  her 
arms  round  the  mare's  neck.  "  You  Ve  come  to 
help  me.  Where 's  your  master  ? "  she  went  on, 
with  a  sudden  fright.  "  Why  have  you  run  away 
from  him  ?  " 

For  answer  the  mare  rubbed  her  nose  against  the 
girl's  arm. 

"  Will  you  take  me  to  him  ?  Come,  Molly,  I  '11 
jump  on  your  back  and  we  '11  go  together,  and  you 
can  lead  me." 

Without  waiting  a  moment  longer,  Ruth  mounted 
the  mare,  and  sitting  astride  the  saddle  turned  her 
head  down  the  road  and  spoke  to  her,  and  Molly 
started  off.  Ruth  had  thought  that  perhaps  she 
would  turn  in  at  the  tavern.  But  no.  On  she 
went  over  the  ledge,  under  the  elms,  down 
round  the  hill,  across  the  brook,  and  through  the 
valley.  The  cool  night  air  and  the  vigorous  exer 
cise  waked  the  girl,  and  her  strength  and  nerve 
227 


Captain  Shays. 

came  back  as  she  rode  along.  At  last  they  reached 
the  steep  pitch  leading  toward  the  straight  stretch 
^to  Barre,  and  Molly  slackened  her  speed  and  then 
stopped  by  the  side  of  the  road. 

The  moon  had  risen  high,  and  Ruth  could  see 
about  her  clearly.  She  knew  where  she  was. 
It  was  by  the  brook  next  the  lane  leading  to  Sam 
Barnes'  wood-lot,  and  she  had  been  there  many 
times  with  her  father  and  Jimmy  in  the  winter, 
when  they  had  helped  haul  wood.  She  wondered 
why  Molly  should  stop  at  this  place,  but  she 
knew  there  must  be  some  reason  for  it.  She 
spoke  to  the  mare  and  then  slid  quietly  to  the 
ground.  As  she  did  so  her  hand  struck  the 
holster.  She  unstrapped  it,  looked  in,  and  saw 
the  pistol.  An  idea  came  suddenly  to  her,  and 
passing  her  arm  through  the  bridle  she  fell  on 
her  knees  and  examined  the  ground.  Her  con 
jecture  had  been  correct.  There  was  no  question 
but  that  a  body  of  men  had  been  collected  where 
she  was,  and  but  a  short  time  before.  She  breathed 
a  low  exclamation,  mounted  the  mare  again,  and 
with  her  right  hand  on  the  pistol,  turned  into  the 
lane  and  rode  along,  watching  and  listening  with 
every  nerve  strained.  After  going  for  a  few 
minutes,  she  spoke  quietly  to  Molly,  and  stopped. 
She  was  certain  that  she  heard  voices  in  front  of 
228 


Captain  Shays. 

her,  but  as  she  leaned  forward  she  could  perceive 
nothing  but  the  soughing  of  the  wind  through  the 
pines,  so  she  started  forward  again.  In  another 
moment  she  pulled  in  the  mare  once  more,  and 
this  time  she  was  convinced.  To  her  right,  beyond 
the  boulder  toward  the  brook,  she  could  distin 
guish  a  man's  voice.  She  turned  to  the  left  round 
behind  the  clump  of  alders,  dismounted,  and 
hitched  the  mare  to  a  sapling.  Then  she  took 
the  pistol  from  the  holster  and  crept  cautiously 
toward  the  boulder. 


229 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

WILLIAM  PERRY  lay  on  the  straw  in 
the  corner  of  the  log  cabin,  determined 
to  sleep  if  possible,  for  he  had  work  later  in 
the  night  which  would  require  all  his  strength 
and  nerve,  and  he  had  no  fear  of  not  waking  in 
time.  He  considered  carefully  the  probability  of 
Piper's  getting  to  Petersham  before  the  following 
day,  and  he  decided  that  if  the  money-lender 
stopped  in  Worcester  it  would  be  almost  impos 
sible  for  him  to  arrive  at  the  farm  before  the 
twenty-third  of  the  month. 

"  If  he  does  succeed  in  entering,  I  'm  afraid  it 
will  go  hard  with  Brown,  for  it  will  be  known  that 
he  is  a  sympathizer  of  Shays,"  he  thought.  "  He  '11 
have  hard  work  to  get  justice.  Besides  all  this,  he 
may  be  arrested,  and  then  what  will  become  of 
Ruth?" 

He  rolled  over  on  the  straw,  and  closing  his 
eyes  again  he  tried  to  sleep.  He  had  been  in  this 
position  about  half  an  hour  when  he  was  roused 
230 


Captain  Shays. 

by  a  noise  outside  the  logs  near  where  he  was 
resting.  It  was  very  slight,  and  he  could  scarcely 
hear  it,  but  he  thought  it  a  footstep  on  the  pine 
needles.  He  waited  some  minutes,  then  he  heard 
the  sound  again,  and  rising  carefully,  he  put  his 
eye  to  the  opening  between  the  logs  and  watched. 
He  could  see  nothing,  although  the  rays  of  the 
moon  lighted  up  the  spaces  between  the  trees. 
After  waiting  a  short  while  he  was  about  to  with 
draw  when  he  saw  a  shadow  pass  across  one  of 
the  moonlit  spaces. 

"  It  must  be  one  of  the  men,"  he  thought. 
"  They  're  afraid  I  '11  try  to  crawl  out  through  this 
crack." 

He  watched  a  moment  longer,  and  then  lay 
down  and  tried  to  sleep.  A  little  later  he  was 
again  startled  by  the  sound  of  footsteps,  this  time 
close  to  him.  He  raised  his  head  and  listened, 
and  the  next  moment  his  heart  stood  still,  and  he 
jumped  to  his  feet,  quickly  but  quietly.  He  had 
recognized  the  voice.  Soon  it  spoke  again,  and 
said,  — 

"  Mr.  Perry,  are  you  here  ?  " 

William  put  his  eye  to  the  crack  again,  and  saw 
the  wild-looking  figure  of  Ruth  Brown  standing  in 
the  shadow  near  the  cabin.     A  low  exclamation  of 
surprise  escaped  him,  and  he  answered,  — 
231 


Captain  Shays. 

"  For  God's  sake,  what  are  you  doing  here  ? 
You  '11  be  seen,  and  they  '11  maltreat  you.  How 
did  you  know  I  was  here  ?  " 

"  I  can't  tell  you  now.  All  I  can  say  is  that 
Molly  showed  me  the  way.  I  Ve  got  both  your 
pistols.  They  will  pass  through  this  crack.  Take 
them,  and  if  you  can  get  out,  come  over  among 
the  alders  opposite  the  boulder.  I  '11  wait  for  you 
there  with  Molly." 

Perry  took  the  pistols,  and  without  another  word 
Ruth  crept  from  the  shadow  and  was  soon  out  of 
sight. 

After  he  had  taken  the  pistols,  Perry  stood  a 
moment  aghast.  The  whole  scene  had  been  to 
him  like  a  vision,  and  he  rubbed  his  eyes  to  be 
sure  that  he  was  not  asleep  on  the  straw  and 
dreaming.  Then  he  examined  the  pistols.  They 
were  as  he  had  left  them,  and  he  saw  clearly  that 
he  was  awake,  and  that  Molly  had  found  her  way 
to  the  farm  as  he  had  expected,  and  given  warning 
of  his  danger. 

"  But  how  has  she  come  here  at  this  time  of 
night,  and  alone?  "  he  thought.  "  Something  must 
be  wrong.  I  will  act  first,  and  find  out  after  I 
am  safely  out  of  here." 

He  listened  a  moment,  and  hearing  nothing 
crossed  on  tiptoe  to  the  door.  He  put  his  ear 
232 


Captain  Shays. 

close  to  it,  and  listened  again.  Still  there  was  no 
sound. 

"  What  shall  I  do  ?  "  he  thought.  "  Possibly  I 
might  force  the  door,  but  that  would  give  the 
alarm,  and  all  four  would  soon  be  awake  and  ruin 
everything.  But  I  must  get  the  door  opened  some 
way.  The  fellow  on  guard  told  the  others  that  he 
would  call  them  if  he  heard  me.  How  can  I 
do  it  ? " 

He  waited  a  moment,  and  reviewed  the  whole 
situation  carefully. 

"  My  only  chance  is  to  take  them  unawares,  and 
before  the  others  are  roused,  do  up  this  one,  and 
go  round  the  boulder,  whence  I  can  handle  the 
other  three.  I  have  it.  If  I  use  my  clasp-knife 
and  fists  on  the  guard  I  shall  have  my  two  pistols 
left  for  the  others.  That 's  what  I  '11  do,  if  I  can 
get  out." 

Finally  he  became  impatient,  for  he  knew  that 
Ruth  was  in  a  dangerous  position,  as  any  sound 
from  the  mare  would  expose  her.  He  therefore 
decided  that  he  must  attract  the  attention  of  the 
sentinel  in  such  a  way  that  he  would  open  the  door 
to  take  an  observation,  without  feeling  the  neces 
sity  of  calling  the  others.  Accordingly  he  walked 
somewhat  heavily  across  the  cabin,  coughed  twice, 
and  yawned.  Then  he  crept  back  close  to  the 
233 


Captain  Shays. 

door  and  waited,  with  his  clasp-knife  held  tightly 
in  his  left  hand. 

There  was  a  movement  outside,  and  before  long 
he  could  hear  the  man  breathing  just  beyond  the 
door.  He  was  evidently  listening,  and  Perry 
closed  his  mouth  tightly  that  he  should  not  betray 
himself.  His  heart  was  beating  loudly  as  he 
heard  the  bolt  slipping  quietly,  and  then  the  door 
was  opened  a  crack.  With  the  agility  of  a  panther 
at  bay,  Perry  pushed  the  door  with  his  shoulder, 
plunged  his  knife  into  the  man's  side,  at  the  same 
time  striking  him  a  heavy  blow  with  his  fist,  and 
before  the  sleepers  were  awakened,  had  dashed 
round  the  boulder  into  the  darkness. 

The  young  man  knew  very  well  that  the  alarm 
had  been  given  by  the  time  he  reached  the  shadow 
of  the  great  rock,  for  he  could  hear  the  wounded 
man's  groans,  and  then  the  voices  of  his  compan 
ions  as  they  awoke  and  ran  to  his  assistance. 
Perry  therefore  crouched  down  and  awaited  devel 
opments.  From  his  position  he  could  see  the 
cabin  distinctly,  for  the  moon  was  now  above  it, 
casting  its  light  upon  it.  Two  of  the  men  were 
kneeling  by  the  prostrate  form,  while  the  third 
went  into  the  shanty.  He  soon  came  out,  and 
going  up  to  the  others  said  something  to  them. 
Perry  could  not  hear  what  it  was,  but  the  next 
234 


Captain  Shays. 

moment  all  three  got  up,  and  ran  toward  the 
road. 

"  If  I  only  had  three  pistols  instead  of  two,  I  'd 
pick  'em  off,"  he  thought.  "  Holloa,  here  comes 
one  in  my  direction.  I  '11  fix  him  without  wasting 
powder." 

Before  reaching  the  boulder  the  man  stopped 
and  looked  about  him.  Then  he  walked  slowly 
toward  the  edge  of  the  shadow,  within  a  few  feet 
of  where  William  was  waiting.  With  a  spring  like 
a  cat,  Perry  was  upon  him,  and  before  he  had 
time  to  recover  himself,  had  him  pinned  to  the 
ground  with  an  iron  grasp.  After  a  few  blows  he 
was  no  longer  dangerous,  but  his  screams  had 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  other  two,  and  they 
turned  and  started  to  his  rescue. 

The  advantage  was  now  entirely  with  Perry. 
In  fact,  it  had  been  from  the  first,  for  the  moment 
he  had  stabbed  the  man  at  the  door  and  escaped 
behind  the  boulder,  it  had  become  a  dangerous 
task  for  the  others  to  attempt  to  recapture  him. 
But  they  were  desperate  characters,  and  were 
stimulated  by  promises  of  reward,  so  they  took 
the  risk.  As  the  two  men  were  passing  through 
a  streak  of  moonlight,  there  was  the  report  of  a 
pistol,  and  one  of  them  fell  headlong  on  his  face. 
The  other  stopped  short,  turned  about,  and  with 
235 


Captain  Shays. 

the  speed  of  a  deer  ran  behind  the  cabin.  A  few 
minutes  after  Perry  heard  the  sound  of  a  horse, 
and  looking  down  the  lane  saw  the  last  of  his 
opponents  disappearing  through  the  moonlight. 

Perry  was  not  yet  sure  that  everything  was  safe. 
He  had  put  his  knife  into  one  man,  struck  another, 
and  shot  a  third.  But  any  one  of  them  might  be 
capable  of  doing  mischief.  Then  the  man  who  had 
ridden  away  might  either  be  in  ambush,  or  give  the 
alarm.  He  wished,  if  possible,  to  get  behind  the 
cabin  and  secure  one  of  the  horses,  so  that  Ruth 
might  ride  Molly,  but  he  was  afraid  to  leave  her 
alone.  He  first  looked  at  the  man  lying  next  him. 
He  was  perfectly  quiet.  Perry  shook  him.  He 
gave  no  signs  of  moving,  but  William  knew  that 
he  was  only  stunned,  so  taking  the  rascal's  pistol, 
he  ran  across  the  road  to  the  clump  of  alders. 

"  Miss  Ruth,  Ruth,"  he  called,  quietly. 

"I'm  here  and  safe,  Mr.  Perry,  and  I  've  seen  it 
all.  Are  they  dead  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,  but  we  have  no  time  to  lose. 
Can  you  fire  a  pistol  ?  " 

"  I  think  so,  sir." 

"  Then  take  this,  and  if  any  of  these  men  come 
toward  you,  fire,  but  be  careful  and  don't  mistake 
me  for  one  of  them.  I  shall  be  on  horseback." 

Ruth  took  the  pistol,  and  Perry  ran  swiftly  round 

236 


Captain  Shays. 

the  boulder  and  behind  the  cabin.  In  a  short  time 
Ruth  saw  him  returning  on  the  back  of  one  of  the 
rebels'  horses. 

"  Now,  Miss  Ruth,  jump  on  to  Molly,"  he  said. 
"  Do  you  know  any  way  out  of  here  except  the 
one  by  which  we  came  ? " 

"  Yes.  Follow  me.  There  is  a  path  leading 
through  the  woods  direct  to  the  Barre  road. 
Thank  God  I  have  found  you." 

"  And  I  thank  you,  my  brave  girl,"  said  Perry, 
tenderly.  "  We  cannot  stop  to  speak  now,  for  we 
are  not  yet  out  of  danger.  When  we  get  to  a  safe 
place  we  will  talk." 

They  then  rode  silently  on,  Ruth  leading  the 
way,  until  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  they 
descended  a  steep  bank  and  were  on  the  road  to 
Barre.  Ruth  reined  in  Molly,  and  pushing  her 
hair  back  from  her  face,  looked  about  her.  Then 
she  turned  toward  Perry,  and  as  the  moonlight 
struck  her,  he  noticed  for  the  first  time  her  terri 
fied  expression,  and  her  dishevelled  hair,  and  dis 
orderly  costume.  He  was  startled,  and  leaning 
toward  her,  examined  her  carefully. 

"  My  poor  girl,"  he  said  softly,  "  what  is  the 

trouble  ?     I  Ve  been  very  selfish,  and  have  thought 

too  much  of  myself  for  the  last  hour.     Tell  me 

quickly  !     Is  anything  wrong  at  the  farm  ?     Ah  !  I 

237 


Captain  Shays. 

ought  to  have  known  it.  How  thoughtless  I  Ve 
been." 

He  turned  his  horse  in  the  direction  of  Peter 
sham,  and  was  about  to  start  off  without  waiting 
for  an  answer,  when  Ruth  stopped  him. 

"It's  no  use  going  there,  Mr.  Perry,"  she  said 
sadly.  "They  have  come  and  taken  the  farm, 
and  poor  father  is  a  prisoner." 

Perry  started. 

"  Why  have  n't  you  told  me  this  before  ?  Who  's 
taken  the  farm  ?  Not  Piper?  Not  that  little  thief? 
Speak  quickly,  Ruth.  There  is  no  time  to  lose." 

"  So  much  time  has  been  lost  already,  that  we 
can  do  little  to-night,  Mr.  Perry.  I  was  so  weak, 
so  tired  out  with  all  I  Ve  been  through,  that  I 
fainted,  when  I  ought  to  have  been  strong  and 
protected  father.  When  I  came  to  I  was  alone 
on  his  bed,  and  he  was  gone.  Then  I  went  out 
on  the  road,  and  it  all  came  to  me.  When  I  saw 
Molly,  I  was  sure  that  you  were  near,  and  would 
help  me  if  I  could  find  you,  and  my  strength  came 
back.  I  jumped  on  her  back,  and  she  has  saved 
you." 

Ruth  leaned  forward,  and  put  her  arms  round 
the  mare's  neck.  Perry  thought  a  moment,  then 
said,  — 

"Is  there  any  one  at  the  farm  now?  " 

233 


Captain  Shays. 

"  No,  at  least  there  was  no  one  about  when  I 
left." 

"  Then  we  will  return  there,  and  you  can  rest 
and  get  together  such  of  your  things  as  you  wish. 
If  you  are  strong  enough  we  will  start  before 
sunrise.  We  can  do  nothing  to-night." 

It  was  late  when  they  reached  the  farm.  They 
both  went  round  to  the  barn  while  Perry  attended 
to  the  horses.  Then  they  went  to  the  house. 
Everything  was  quiet. 

"  Now  go  to  your  room,  Ruth,"  said  Perry, 
kindly.  "I  will  sit  up  here,  and  I  '11  call  you  before 
sunrise.  Try  to  sleep.  Much  depends  on  your 
having  strength  to-morrow." 


239 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

AFTER  Ruth  had  retired,  Perry  went  to  the 
window,  and  drawing  up  a  chair,  sat  with  his 
elbow  on  the  sill,  looking  out  through  the  moonlit 
orchard  toward  the  pine  grove.  All  the  events 
of  the  last  few  hours  passed  through  his  mind  in 
rapid  succession,  and  he  began  to  realize  what  a 
narrow  escape  he  had  had,  and  how  much  he  owed 
to  the  courage  of  the  girl  who  had  shown  such 
presence  of  mind  in  her  weak  and  almost  helpless 
condition.  He  recalled  the  first  time  he  had  seen 
her,  and  then  followed  up  all  the  events  since  that 
day.  Suddenly  he  paused.  He  had  reached  the 
time  when  he  had,  almost  by  accident,  turned  into 
Ames'  office  on  King  Street.  His  friend's  words 
rang  in  his  ears,  and  he  tried  in  vain  to  put  them 
from  his  thoughts.  They  came  back,  and  he 
could  get  no  further. 

"  You  '11  know  before  long  what  I  mean,"  Ames 
had  said. 

Perry  rose,  went  to  the  fire-place,  and  put  a  log 
on  the  dying  embers.     He  sat  by  the  fire   and 
240 


Captain  Shays. 

watched  it  as  it  began  to  kindle,  and  the  little 
sparks  took  the  forms  of  a  procession.  At  its 
head  was  Day,  and  he  himself  was  looking  out  of 
the  window  watching  him.  Then  he  saw  Jimmy 
thrown  from  his  horse.  At  last  Ruth's  face  ap 
peared,  and  he  started  and  put  his  hand  to  his  eyes. 

"  I  'm  about  used  up,"  he  said,  gradually  collect 
ing  himself;  "but  I  mustn't  sleep  too  much. 
There  's  no  probability  of  any  one  troubling  us 
to-night,  but  I  '11  keep  one  eye  open  in  case  of 
accident." 

He  sljd  down  into  his  chair,  and  folding  his 
hands  and  closing  his  eyes,  again  dozed.  This 
time  his  thoughts  returned  to  the  log  cabin,  and 
he  saw  Ruth's  face  through  the  crack  in  the  logs. 
She  seemed  to  be  speaking. 

"  I  'm  here.  I  Ve  come  to  save  you  and  to  ask 
you  to  save  me." 

He  sprang  from  his  chair  and  looked  about  him. 
The  moon  had  set,  and  the  room  was  in  utter  dark 
ness  save  for  the  fitful  light  of  the  fire.  He  went 
again  to  the  window  and  looked  out.  The  stars 
were  shining  in  the  heavens,  but  he  could  see 
nothing  but  the  outlines  of  the  nearest  apple-trees. 
He  turned  back,  and  walked  toward  the  fire.  He 
leaned  against  the  chimney-piece  and  listened. 
He  heard  nothing. 

16  241 


Captain  Shays. 

11  Ruth,"  he  whispered,  "  are  you  here  ?  Did 
you  speak  to  me  ?  " 

There  was  no  answer,  and  Perry  smiled.  "  I  'm 
not  usually  nervous,"  he  thought,  "  but  my  imagi 
nation  has  got  the  best  of  me  this  time.  I  must 
have  been  dreaming,  but  I  certainly  thought  I 
heard  her  speak." 

He  sat  down  in  the  chair  again.  Once  more  he 
closed  his  eyes,  and  once  more  rose  quickly. 

"Ruth,  Ruth,"  he  said  aloud,  "if  you  are  not 
here,  you  are  in  my  heart.  Ames  was  right.  I 
love  her,  I  love  her." 

He  sank  back  in  the  chair,  and  the  tears  came 
into  his  eyes. 

"  Yes,  I  love  you,  and  I  have  known  it  a  long 
while,  but  have  not  realized  it,  and  have  denied  it. 
But  it's  no  use.  What  have  I  done  for  the  last 
two  months  ?  I  've  thought  of  nothing  but  you 
and  yours  ;  I  Ve  neglected  my  work,  and  my  mind 
has  been  only  on  you  and  how  I  might  serve  you. 
Yes,  Ruth,  I  love  you  with  all  my  heart,  with  all 
my  life,  and  I  will  protect  you  and  help  you  find 
your  father." 

Perry  had  now  thoroughly  awakened  from  his 
delusion,  and  the  awakening  seemed  to  have  a 
soothing  effect  on  him. 

"  Now  I  feel  better,"  he  thought  with  a  smile, 
242 


Captain  Shays. 

wiping  his  eyes.  "  The  die  is  cast,  and  I  can  now 
rest.  Why  have  I  warded  it  off  so  long  ?  Why 
have  I  refused  to  believe  it  ?  Could  I  help  loving 
her  ?  My  life  has  been  very  lonely,  but  now,  God 
bless  her,  she  has  brought  a  new  light  into  it." 

With  a  sigh  he  settled  himself  back  in  his  chair, 
and  was  soon  sleeping  quietly. 

After  she  had  left  Perry,  Ruth  went  quickly  up 
stairs  and  into  her  bed-room.  She  shut  the  door 
and  bolted  it,  and  for  a  moment  stood  looking 
about  the  moonlit  room.  There  was  the  table 
with  the  book  of  poems  and  the  Bible.  The  chair 
was  by  the  window,  where  she  had  left  it  when  she 
had  gone  down  to  supper  the  night  before.  She 
sighed ;  the  tears  gushed  forth  from  her  eyes,  as 
she  threw  herself  on  her  knees  and  buried  her 
head  in  the  bed-clothes. 

"  Oh  dear !  Oh  dear !  Oh  dear !  "  she  sobbed. 
"  Why  have  we  got  to  suffer  all  this  ?  Why  does 
God  treat  us  so  ?  Surely  we  've  tried  to  live  ac 
cording  to  His  laws.  It  isn't  right!  It  isn't 
just ! " 

In  a  moment  she  jumped  up,  and  shook  her  hair 
back,  and  went  to  the  window. 

"  I  'm  awfully  tired,"  she  gasped,  dropping  into 
the  chair.     "  I  can't  stop  to  cry  now.     I  must  rest 
if  I  can,  but  my  head  aches.     I  '11  try  though." 
243 


Captain  Shays. 

She  went  back  to  the  bed,  and  threw  herself 
upon  it  without  undressing.  She  could  not  sleep, 
for  a  panorama  of  all  she  had  been  through,  passed 
and  repassed  before  her.  From  it  there  stood  out 
one  figure,  brighter,  clearer,  more  prominent  than 
all  the  rest.  There  was  her  father,  Jimmy,  Abe 
Morse ;  but  in  the  foreground  stood  William  Perry, 
looking  down  at  her  with  his  kind,  soft  eyes,  and 
pleasant  smile. 

"  He  's  so  good,  so  kind,"  she  thought,  "  no  one 
was  ever  just  like  him.  Why  do  I  always  see  him  ? 
Why  does  he  always  come  to  me  when  I  'm  in 
trouble  ?  "  Ruth  sighed,  and  turned  on  her  side 
and  gazed  out  of  the  window  toward  Chimney 
Hill. 

"  I  wonder  why  it  is,"  she  thought  again. 

Finally,  as  the  moonlight  disappeared,  her  eyes 
closed,  and  before  long  she  was  sleeping  soundly. 

She  must  have  rested  very  quietly  under  the 
soothing  influences  of  her  dreams,  for  the  next 
thing  she  knew  she  heard  a  voice  calling  her  name. 
She  started  up  in  bed  and  called  in  a  drowsy 
manner,  — 

u  Yes,  father  —  "  she  stopped  and  rubbed  the 
back  of  her  hand  across  her  eyes.  "It  is  n't 
father,"  she  thought.  "  I  'd  forgotten.  It's  he." 

She  roused  herself,  and  the  voice  came  again. 
244 


Captain  Shays. 

"  It 's  time  to  be  getting  ready.  I  've  made  the 
fire  and  hung  the  kettle.  I  '11  wait  in  the  kitchen 
for  you." 

Ruth  drew  a  long  breath,  and  crept  from  her 
bed,  dressed,  did  up  her  hair,  and  ran  down  to  the 
kitchen.  When  she  reached  the  door,  she  hesi 
tated  ;  her  eyes  dropped,  and  she  courtesied. 
Perry  had  lighted  the  candle,  and  stood  watching 
the  door,  waiting  for  her.  When  he  saw  her  he 
started  forward,  but  as  she  stopped,  he  did  the 
same,  and  took  hold  of  the  back  of  the  chair. 

"Good-morning,  Miss — Miss  Ruth,"  he  said 
slowly. 

"Good-morning,  sir,"  answered  Ruth,  stepping 
forward  and  putting  out  her  hand.  William  came 
quickly  to  her,  and  took  it  in  both  of  his. 

"  I  hope,"  he  said  with  some  hesitation,  "  that 
you  have  rested,  and  feel  able  to  take  a  journey 
to-day." 

Ruth  looked  up  at  him,  and  catching  his  ex 
pression,  dropped  her  eyes  again. 

"  You  don't  speak,  Ruth,"  he  said  gently,  draw 
ing  her  toward  him.  "  Are  n't  you  well  ?  Are  you 
afraid  to  be  here  alone  with  me  ?  " 

Ruth  raised  her  eyes  and  looked  full  into  his. 

"  No,  I  'm  not  afraid  to  be  here  alone  with  you. 
I  should  be  afraid  if  you  were  not  here." 

245 


Captain  Shays. 

Perry  took  a  step  forward  and  looked  at  her 
closely. 

"  Then  you  trust  me  ?  "  he  said  quickly. 

"  Do  I  trust  you  ?  How  can  you  ask  me  that  ? 
Have  I  not  trusted  you  since  I  first  saw  you?" 

"  You  have,  you  have,  Ruth,"  he  exclaimed, 
drawing  her  to  him  and  kissing  her  on  the  fore 
head,  "  and  I  love  you  for  it." 

Ruth  made  no  answer,  but  putting  her  head 
upon  his  shoulder,  wept  bitterly. 

"  I  Ve  known  it  for  a  long,  long  time,  Ruth 
dear,"  said  William,  stroking  her  head  tenderly, 
"  but  something  has  kept  it  back  until  last  night  as 
I  sat  here  watching  the  fire.  Then  it  all  came  to 
me.  There,  quiet  yourself  now.  I  love  you,  and 
will  care  for  you  if  you  '11  let  me." 

Ruth  looked  up  at  him  with  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  I  will  let  you,  sir,"  she  said  gently.  "  God 
has  been  good  to  send  you  to  me,  and  I  'm  very 
grateful." 

A  few  moments  later,  Ruth  was  busy  preparing 
breakfast,  while  William  had  gone  to  the  barn  to 
care  for  the  horses.  When  he  returned,  dawn  was 
beginning  to  creep  over  the  hills,  and  he  hurried 
through  the  shed. 

"Ruth  dear,"  he  said  brightly,  "make  a  little 
package  of  such  things  as  you  will  need  on  our 
246 


Captain  Shays. 

journey.  Have  everything  ready,  for  we  must 
start  as  soon  as  we  have  eaten  breakfast.  Do  you 
know  the  way  round  the  other  road,  — the  one 
leading  north  ?  " 

"  Yes.  It  winds  through  the  pastures  to  Gerry 
and  Templeton." 

"  Then  we  '11  take  it,  for  I  think  it  will  be  safer. 
Shays  and  Day  are  in  Rutland,  and  we  must 
avoid  them.  I  feel  so  happy  this  morning,  Ruth 
dear,"  he  went  on,  going  forward  and  taking  both 
her  hands  and  kissing  her. 

"  And  I  feel  very  happy,  too,  sir,"  said  Ruth, 
sweetly. 

"Then  we'll  start,"  William  replied  with  a 
laugh  ;  "and  don't  worry  about  your  father  or  the 
farm.  I  '11  promise  you  that  something  can  be 
done  in  both  cases.  Now  I  '11  get  the  horses,  and 
we  '11  be  off." 

It  was  about  half  an  hour  after  this  that  William 
Perry  and  Ruth  Brown  rode  up  the  narrow  road. 
The  sun  had  risen,  but  was  not  yet  visible  over 
the  tree-tops,  and  the  fields  and  evergreens  were 
white  with  a  glistening  frost,  for  the  night  had 
been  cold.  On  their  right  were  the  fields  dipping 
down  to  the  brook  among  the  woods,  beyond  which 
were  the  pine-covered  hills.  To  their  left  was  the 
mowing  rolling  down,  then  up  toward  Petersham 
247 


Captain  Shays. 

village,  whose  white  spire  reflected  the  morning  sun 
light.  In  a  few  minutes  they  reached  the  brow  of 
the  hill,  and  the  snow-clad  summit  of  Monadnock 
burst  upon  their  sight  over  the  pastures.  When 
they  had  passed  over  the  rough  and  stony  way  as 
far  as  the  crest  of  the  next  hill,  they  stopped  and 
looked  back  at  the  farm,  which  stood  out  clearly, 
backed  by  Chimney  Hill.  Ruth's  eyes  rilled,  and 
with  a  sigh,  she  wheeled  about,  and  they  started 
on  again. 

At  last  they  turned  east  and  rode  toward  the 
little  town  of  Gerry.  This  they  passed  on  the 
knoll  to  the  left,  and  descending  a  steep  path, 
drew  rein  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  lovely  view 
before  them.  Over  the  frozen  surface  of  a  pretty 
lake,  shut  in  on  either  side  by  firs  and  pines,  they 
saw  the  graceful  form  of  Mount  Monadnock,  ris 
ing  high  above  the  surrounding  hills,  its  peak  and 
clefts  white  and  prismatic,  like  a  great  diamond  in 
a  satin  casket.  The  turquoise  sky  above  it  was 
unbroken  by  clouds,  and  the  two  young  people 
drank  in  the  picture  without  a  word.  They 
touched  their  horses,  and  were  soon  climbing  the 
road  to  Templeton. 


248 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

IT  was  the  end  of  November,  and  General  Brooks 
with  his  Middlesex  and  Suffolk  regiments  was 
scouring  the  country  about  Concord  in  search  of 
Job  Shattuck  and  his  marauding  bands.  Shays 
and  Day  were  hovering  between  Worcester  and 
Rutland,  and  the  whole  central  and  western  part 
of  the  Commonwealth  was  in  an  uproar,  for  the 
rebellion  had  got  well  under  way,  and  whole  villages 
had  turned  out  in  support  of  the  insurgents.  Gov 
ernor  Bowdoin  had  called  out  the  militia,  and  had 
reviewed  the  troops  under  General  Brooks  in 
Cambridge,  clad  in  a  white  broadcloth  coat,  scar 
let  small-clothes,  white  wig,  and  cocked  hat. 

For  the  time  being,  Springfield  and  the  country 
about  it  had  become  less  openly  active,  and  the 
centre  of  the  rebels'  operations  had  been  trans 
ferred  to  Worcester  and  Concord,  where  they  were 
not  confining  themselves  to  concerted  action,  but 
were  roaming  about  the  country  in  little  bands, 
burning,  robbing,  and  in  some  cases  inflicting 
personal  injury.  Such  was  the  apprehension  of 
249 


Captain  Sha'ys. 

government,  that  Governor  Bowdoin  sent  to  Gen 
eral  Lincoln,  advising  him  that  if  the  rebellion  was 
not  soon  ended,  he  should  call  upon  him  to  take 
command  of  the  militia  and  quell  it. 

General  Brooks  marched  through  Weston  to 
Lincoln,  and  when  he  had  reached  Concord, 
Shattuck  had  fled.  It  was  about  this  time  that 
a  young  man  and  a  young  woman  were  riding 
through  the  woods  in  the  outskirts  of  Groton. 
William  Perry  had  decided  to  take  Ruth  to  Boston, 
and  to  put  her  under  the  care  of  friends  until  he 
could  find  out  for  her  where  her  father  was  im 
prisoned,  and  see  Jerry  Piper.  He  felt  sure  that 
he  could  arrange  matters  satisfactorily  with  the 
latter.  As  to  Deacon  Brown,  he  knew  that  it 
might  be  a  long  task  to  find  him.  Perry  had 
made  up  his  mind  that  the  officers  Piper  had  taken 
with  him  to  the  farm,  were  of  that  class  who  would, 
for  money,  abuse  their  legal  powers,  and  that  the 
villanous  little  money-lender  would  do  everything 
possible  to  have  the  poor  blacksmith  put  out  of 
sight.  There  had  been  many  unjust  imprison 
ments  during  the  past  few  months,  and  at  the  pres 
ent  time  there  was  even  more  chance  of  them  than 
there  had  been  heretofore.  Perry  thought  of  all 
these  things,  and  laid  his  plans  for  overcoming  them. 

"  Ruth  dear,"  he  said,  looking  up  suddenly, 
250 


Captain  Shays. 

"  it  won't  be  much  longer  before  we  get  where  we 
can  do  something.  You  have  been  very  brave, 
and  I  'm  proud  of  you." 

"Why  shouldn't  I  be  brave  with  you?"  an 
swered  Ruth,  turning  toward  him  with  a  smile. 
"  I  feel  well  and  happy  now,  and  I  know  that 
you  '11  be  able  to  fix  everything." 

"  I  '11  try  to,  Ruth.  I  know  what  to  do  with 
Piper,  but  it  may  take  time  to  find  your  father. 
But  I  don't  think  you  need  worry  about  him  — 
that  is,  I  don't  think  he  '11  be  maltreated." 

"  Where  do  you  think  he  is  ? "  asked  Ruth, 
anxiously. 

"  I  think  it  probable  that  he  has  been  taken  to 
Boston,  in  which  case  I  can  get  his  release  easily. 
If  he  is  anywhere  else  it  will  be  more  difficult,  but 
we  will  accomplish  it." 

Ruth  was  silent  for  some  time  after  this,  but  at 
last  asked,  — 

"  Where  are  you  going  to  take  me  ?  " 

"  To  an  old  friend  of  my  father's,  Ruth.  He 
and  his  good  wife  will  be  kind  to  you  and  do 
everything  for  you." 

"Where  do  they  live?" 

"  In  Dorchester,  just  beyond  Boston.  They  are 
also  great  friends  of  his  excellency's,  and  will 
use  their  influence  with  him  in  our  behalf." 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Are  you  sure  that  they  '11  want  me  ?  "  asked 
Ruth,  timidly.  "  I  'm  only  a  poor  country-girl,  and 
they  may  n't  want  me." 

"  You  're  a  dear  good  girl,  Ruth,  and  you  need 
have  no  fears.  I  was  with  them  just  after  I  first 
saw  you,  three  months  ago,  and  I  spoke  about 
your  father  and  his  troubles,  and  they  will  remem 
ber  what  I  said.  We  must  be  quiet  now,  for  I 
hear  some  one  coming  up  the  road." 

They  were  now  passing  through  a  densely 
wooded  stretch,  and  as  the  road  was  winding  they 
could  see  but  a  short  distance  in  front  of  them. 
William's  sharp  ears,  however,  had  detected  the 
sound  of  galloping  horses  coming  in  their  direc 
tion,  and  he  pulled  in  his  horse,  and  motioned  to 
Ruth  to  do  the  same. 

"  Come  back  behind  the  trees,  quickly,  Ruth," 
said  William,  excitedly.  •*  I  don't  like  the  sound. 
There  's  some  trouble,  or  they  would  n't  be  going 
at  that  rate.  Holloa !  they  're  shouting.  Some 
one  is  being  chased,  and  we  're  out  of  the  way 
just  in  time." 

Perry  was  right.  They  had  scarcely  reached  a 
sheltered  spot,  when  they  heard  the  sound  of  the 
approaching  horses  just  below  them  round  a  curve 
in  the  road.  For  two  hours  past  it  had  been  snow 
ing,  and  the  ground  was  already  white.  The  wind 
252 


Captain  Shays. 

had  increased  steadily,  and  Perry  was  anxious  to 
reach  the  highway  to  Concord  as  quickly  as  pos 
sible,  for  Ruth  was  none  too  warmly  dressed,  and 
he  feared  lest  in  her  weary  and  worn  condition,  she 
should  get  ill.  As  they  waited  under  the  trees,  the 
snow  began  to  fall  faster  and  faster,  and  the  wind 
to  howl  louder  and  louder,  and  Perry  became  im 
patient  to  be  moving  on. 

"  Be  as  still  as  you  can,  Ruth.  See,  it 's  some 
one  going  for  his  life ! "  whispered  William,  in 
excitement.  "  There 's  another,  and  another. 
There  are  three  of  them,  and  by  the  noise  behind 
they  are  closely  followed  by  a  large  number.  Who 
can  they  be  ?  Listen,  one  of  'em  is  shouting." 

Just  as  they  were  passing,  the  leader  turned  his 
head  and  called  back,  — 

"  Go  it,  Job,  for  God's  sake.  They  're  on  to 
us." 

The  next  moment  there  was  a  loud  report,  and  a 
scream  from  one  of  the  fugitives  as  he  fell  from  his 
horse.  All  at  once  his  two  companions  stopped, 
wheeled  about,  and  came  back  to  him.  Drawing 
their  pistols  they  levelled  them  at  the  approaching 
cavalcade. 

Ruth  and  William  sat  with  bated  breath,  watch 
ing  the  two  men  as  they  remained  like  statues  by 
the  side  of  their  fallen  comrade,  who  had  suc- 
253 


Captain  Shays. 

ceeded  in  raising  himself  on  his  elbow,  and  had 
drawn  his  pistol. 

"  They  're  brave  men,  even  if  they  are  rebels,"  said 
Perry,  quietly.  "  I  hope  they  '11  be  taken  without 
any  more  shooting. "  The  men  waited  but  a  few 
seconds,  but  it  seemed  minutes  to  Ruth  and  William. 
At  last  their  pursuers  came  in  sight,  and  with  a  yell 
of  triumph,  dashed  down  upon  the  three  men. 

"  It 's  the  mounted  militia,  Ruth,  and  that 's  a 
colonel  at  their  head.  They're  stopping,  and  I 
think  the  leader  is  going  to  speak." 

Perry  was  not  mistaken,  for  the  next  moment  he 
and  Ruth  heard  the  following,  — 

"  We  Ve  had  a  long  chase,  Job  Shattuck,  but 
now  we  've  got  you  sure  enough.  Put  down  your 
pistols,  you  two.  We  don't  want  any  unnecessary 
blood  shed.  The  odds  against  you  are  too  great, 
and  you  might  as  well  surrender." 

"  Colonel  Wood,"  said  the  man  on  the  ground, 
"  you  ain't  going  to  take  Job  Shattuck  as  easy  as 
ye  think.  If  ye  want  a  corpse  ye  '11  be  likely  to 
get  one,  and  maybe  more,  unless  ye  turn  about 
and  leave  us  alone.  We  're  only  three,  and  you  Ve 
pricked  me  in  the  leg ;  but  my  hand 's  pretty  steady, 
and  my  eyes  are  open,  so  be  careful." 

"  Will  you  put  down  your  arms  or  not  ?  "  roared 
the  colonel. 

254 


Captain  Shays. 

"  We  won't.  Ain't  that  plain  enough  answer, 
colonel  ?  And  what 's  more,  if  ye  don't  do  as  I 
say,  there  '11  be  three  bullets  going  in  among  ye, 
by  God." 

"  Then  take  what  you  deserve,  you  damned  rebel," 
shouted  Wood,  whipping  out  his  pistol,  and  dis 
charging  it  at  Shattuck.  At  the  same  time  there 
were  several  reports  and  two  or  three  screams. 
When  the  smoke  had  cleared  away,  William  and 
Ruth  saw  the  cavalcade  surrounding  the  three  men, 
a  second  of  whom  was  now  writhing  on  the  ground. 
One  of  the  militia  was  also  down,  and  two  of  his 
companions  were  bending  over  him. 

"You  rascals,"  said  Wood,  as  the  rebels  were 
disarmed  and  captured,  "  you  Ve  been  running 
a  great  rig  about  Middlesex  lately,  but  I  guess 
your  course  is  ended.  My  orders  were  to  bring 
you  to  Boston  dead  or  alive,  Job  Shattuck,  and  I 
don't  know  which  it  '11  be  when  we  get  there,  and  I 
don't  care,  except  that  I  'd  like  the  pleasure  of 
seeing  you  hung.  Take  'em  along,"  he  called  to 
the  men  who  had  the  prisoners.  "  It  won't  hurt 
'em.  If  it  does  they  '11  have  to  stand  it." 

"Ruth,"  said  William,  after  a  moment's  reflec 
tion,  "these  militiamen  are  all  gentlemen  and 
good  citizens,  and  are  doing  their  duty.  The  storm 
is  increasing,  and  we  must  move  on.  I  am  going 
255 


Captain  Shays. 

to  speak  to  the  colonel  and  ask  him  to  let  us  go 
with  him." 

"  Just  as  you  say,"  answered  Ruth.  "  You  know 
what  is  best.  I  begin  to  feel  the  cold,  and  would 
like  to  get  to  some  house  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  Very  well,"  said  William,  "  wait  here  for  me." 

He  rode  out  from  under  the  trees,  and  up  to  the 
colonel.  The  latter  looked  at  him  a  moment  sus 
piciously,  but  then  smiled. 

"  You  Ve  seen  quite  a  battle,  sir,"  he  said, 
pleasantly. 

"  I  have,"  answered  Perry,  "  and  I  must  say 
that  considering  the  odds  against  them,  your 
opponents  were  plucky.  But  I  'm  glad  you  Ve 
got  'em.  I  Ve  come  to  ask  you  if  I  and  the 
young  lady  with  me  may  go  with  you.  Travelling 
seems  to  be  a  doubtful  pleasure  just  at  present, 
and  in  this  storm  I  'm  not  sure  that  I  could  find 
my  way." 

"  We  're  going  on  to  Concord  this  afternoon,  and 
you  may  come  with  pleasure.  Where  's  the  young 
lady  ?  " 

"  Ruth,"  called  Perry,  "  come.  We  're  going 
with  these  gentlemen." 

Ruth  rode  out,  and  the  colonel  bowed  and 
looked  at  her. 

"  Why,  you  must  be  cold.  You  look  pale,"  he 
256 


Captain  Shays. 

said  kindly.  "That  coat  is  not  enough.  Here/' 
he  called  to  one  of  his  men,  "get  the  lady  a  cloak. 
There,  that 's  better.  We  Ve  got  a  fifteen  mile 
ride.  Do  you  think  you  can  stand  it  ? " 

"Yes,  sir,"  answered  Ruth,  "thanks  to  your 
kindness." 

"  Then  we  '11  be  off.  The  snow  's  beginning  to 
drift,  and  if  this  keeps  on  we  '11  have  to  stop  on 
the  way.  But  I  want  to  hand  my  prisoners  over 
to  Hitchburn  to-night,  if  possible." 

"  I  'm  very  much  obliged  to  you,  sir,"  said  Perry, 
warmly.  "  What 's  all  this  trouble  ?  I  Ve  been 
up  in  the  country  for  some  days,  and  did  n't  know 
of  the  excitement  here." 

«« This  rascal,  Shattuck,  has  been  giving  us 
a  deal  of  trouble  lately.  He  broke  up  the  court 
in  Concord,  and  when  we  approached  that  town, 
got  out  of  the  way,  and  we  Ve  been  hunting  for 
him  ever  since.  Now  we  Ve  got  all  the  ringleaders 
in  this  part  of  the  country,  and  if  we  can  only  do 
as  well  with  Shays,  we  shall  have  peace  in  a  short 
time.  I  really  believe,  though,  that  this  fellow  is 
the  worst  of  the  lot  Did  you  see  how  he  held 
out?  He  's  a  desperate  villain,  and  we're  lucky 
to  get  him." 

"  He  certainly  showed  courage,"  answered 
Perry. 

17  257 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Courage  !  "  said  Wood.  "  Why,  the  man  has 
at  least  three  wounds.  He  was  hit  half  an  hour 
before  you  saw  him,  but  stuck  to  his  horse  as  if 
he  had  been  glued  to  it,  and  never  uttered  a  sound. 
I  don't  see  how  he  ever  missed  me,  and  I  'd  made 
up  my  mind  that  I  was  going  to  get  it.  But  I 
didn't,  and  I'm  thankful." 

The  storm  was  now  raging  violently,  and  the 
snow  beat  in  their  faces  so  that  they  could  hardly 
see  the  road  in  front  of  them.  Had  Ruth  been 
brought  up  anywhere  but  in  the  highlands  of 
New  England,  she  could  never  have  stood  that 
journey.  But  she  was  accustomed  to  the  severe 
winter  weather  of  her  native  Petersham,  and 
wrapped  in  the  warm  military  cloak,  she  braved 
the  storm  as  well  as  the  men. 

It  was  growing  dark  as  they  drew  near  Concord, 
and  Perry  rode  up  to  the  colonel  and  said,  — 

"  Can  you  tell  me,  sir,  of  a  quiet  place  where 
Miss  Brown  can  spend  the  night  with  some  lady? 
She  is  very  tired,  and  has  been  through  a  good 
deal  of  excitement  lately,  and  needs  a  good  rest." 

"  Of  course  I  can,"  answered  Wood,  graciously. 
Then  turning,  he  called  :  "  Captain  Stone,  come 
here,  please." 

A  middle-aged  man  rode  up  and  saluted. 

"Yes,  sir." 

253 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Is  Mrs.  Stone  in  Concord  ?  " 

"Yes,  colonel." 

"  Will  you  do  me  the  kindness  to  take  this  young 
lady  to  your  house  for  the  night,  and  make  her 
comfortable  ? " 

"With  the  greatest  pleasure,  colonel.  If  you'll 
excuse  me  from  further  duty  to-night,  I '  11  lead 
them  to  the  house  directly.  It's  only  about  half 
a  mile  from  here,  round  to  the  left." 

"  Thank  you  very  much,"  said  Perry,  warmly. 

"  Not  at  all,  not  at  all,"  answered  the  captain, 
cheerily.  "  I  thank  you  for  giving  me  a  chance  to 
get  home.  Good-evening,  colonel,  we  turn  here." 

William  and  Ruth  thanked  Wood  sincerely  for 
his  kindness,  and  following  Captain  Stone,  in  the 
course  of  fifteen  minutes  stopped  before  a  small 
house  just  to  the  north  of  Concord  village. 


2S9 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

WHEN  the  news  of  the  capture  of  Shattuck 
reached  Boston,  there  was  great  rejoicing 
among  the  friends  of  government,  and  Governor 
Bowdoin  was  congratulated  on  all  sides  for  the 
promptness  and  firmness  with  which  he  had  suc 
ceeded  in  putting  down  the  insurrection  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  Commonwealth.  There  had 
been  much  anxiety  in  Boston,  and  at  one  time 
much  apprehension  lest  Shattuck  and  Shays  should 
meet  at  Cambridge  with  a  large  and  dangerous 
force,  and  perhaps  even  cause  disturbances  in 
Boston  itself.  But  the  pluck  and  energy  of 
Colonel  Wood  and  his  little  band  of  Groton 
horse  had  broken  up  the  rebel  forces  in  Middle 
sex,  and  so  the  danger  from  that  source  was 
ended. 

Fisher  Ames  heard  the  news  just  before  he  was 
about  to  start  for  his  home  in  Dedham,  and  he 
was  overjoyed,  for  he  was  convinced  that  all  the 
troubles  would  now  be  quieted,  an  outcome  for 
which  he  with  all  patriotic  citizens  devoutly  prayed. 
260 


Captain  Shays. 

As  he  rode  over  the  Neck  on  his  way  to  Dedham 
late  in  the  afternoon,  it  suddenly  occurred  to  him 
that  the  news  would  probably  not  yet  have  reached 
Mr.  Minot,  and  he  decided  to  stop  at  that  gentle 
man's  house  and  inform  him  of  it. 

It  was  a  clear  cold  winter's  day,  unusually  so  for 
November,  and  the  storm  which  had  passed  over 
central  and  northern  Massachusetts  the  day  before 
had  been  felt  severely  in  Boston  and  its  vicinity. 
The  ground  was  covered  with  snow,  and  the  waters 
of  Dorchester  Bay  near  the  shore  were  frozen. 
Ames  had  thought  much  of  Perry  during  the  last 
few  days.  He  was  very  fond  of  the  young  man,  as 
were  all  who  were  associated  with  him,  and  he  felt 
sorry  that  he  should  have  become  entangled  in 
what  he  considered  an  unfortunate  affair.  To  be 
sure,  Perry  was  the  son  of  a  farmer,  and  had  gained 
his  position  in  his  profession  by  his  own  talents 
and  exertions ;  but  Ames  thought  it  a  pity  that  the 
young  man  should  be  entrapped  by  the  daughter 
of  a  Petersham  rebel,  for  he  had  no  doubt  that 
such  was  the  case. 

As  Ames  rode  toward  the  Minot  house,  Perry 
again  came  into  his  mind,  for  he  associated  him 
with  his  last  visit  there  three  months  before,  when 
Governor  Bowdoin  and  General  Lincoln  had  heard 
from  the  young  man's  lips  the  account  of  the  Hat- 
261 


Captain  Shays. 

field  convention,  and  of  Shays  and  his  doings  in 
the  west.  How  much  had  happened  in  those  three 
months,  Fisher  Ames  knew  as  well  as  any  one. 
Instead  of  growing  better,  the  condition  of  affairs 
in  the  Commonwealth  had  become  steadily  worse, 
and  it  had  seemed  that  a  second  Revolution  was 
inevitable,  until  the  good  news  came  from  Concord. 
Of  course  there  was  much  to  be  done  yet,  but  this 
success  of  government  would  dishearten  the  rebels, 
and  lead  to  their  eventual  disruption. 

When  a  little  later  he  wound  along  the  road  to 
the  house,  the  sun  was  setting,  and  the  hills,  river, 
and  harbor  were  rose  and  pink  in  its  dying  rays. 
He  rode  to  the  stable,  and  seeing  Sammy,  left  his 
horse  in  the  boy's  care,  and  walked  round  to^the 
front  door  and  knocked.  He  felt  a  pleasurable 
excitement  at  the  prospect  of  being  the  first  to 
bring  the  good  news  to  his  father's  old  friend.  In 
a  moment  the  door  was  opened,  and  he  stood  be. 
fore  Mr.  Minot. 

"  Ah,  my  dear  boy,"  said  the  latter,  extending  his 
hand,  "  I  'm  delighted  to  see  you.  I  could  not  have 
been  better  pleased." 

"Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Ames,  smiling,  "  and  I 
am  overjoyed  at  being  able  to  bring  you  good 
news.  Shattuck  's  captured,  and  the  rebellion  's 
quelled." 

262 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  know  it,  I  know  it,  Fisher."  said  Mr.  Minot, 
cheerfully.  "  Is  n't  it  splendid  ?  "  Ames  looked 
at  his  friend  in  amazement,  and  somewhat  dis 
appointedly. 

"  You  have  already  heard  it  then,  sir  ?  "  he  said, 
inquiringly.  "  Then  you  've  just  come  from  Boston  ? 
I  only  learned  it  a  short  time  before  leaving 
there." 

"  No,  Fisher,  I  've  been  at  home  all  day,  but  the 
news  was  brought  to  me  by  a  friend  of  mine  about 
an  hour  ago.  He 's  a  friend  of  yours  also,  and  has 
spoken  of  you,  and  will  be  charmed  to  see  you." 

"  Who  is  it,  Mr.  Minot  ?  " 

"  William  Perry.  He  has  just  arrived  from  the 
scene  of  action,  and  has  given  us  full  particulars. 
But  don't  stand  at  the  door  this  way.  What  am  I 
thinking  of  ?  " 

They  passed  into  the  hall,  and  then  Mr.  Minot 
said,  — 

"  A  glass  of  Madeira,  Fisher,  to  warm  you,  and 
to  the  health  of  his  excellency.  He's  handled  this 
affair  with  consummate  skill,  and  deserves  great 
credit.  Come  into  the  dining-room;  Mrs.  Minot 
is  in  the  parlor.  I  '11  not  take  you  to  her  at 
present." 

"  Where  's  Perry  ?  "  asked  Ames,  looking  about 
as  if  expecting  to  see  his  friend. 
263 


Captain  Shays. 

"He's  — he's  engaged,  I  think,  at  present," 
answered  the  host,  with  a  little  embarrassment. 
"  Probably  in  his  room.  Have  a  glass  of  wine, 
and  I  '11  just  look  him  up.  You  see,  Fisher,  he  's 
had  a  long  trip,  and  is  about  worn  out.  You  're 
in  no  hurry  ?  " 

"  None  whatever,  sir.  Don't  disturb  him.  I 
can  wait." 

"Very  well,  then.  Of  course  you  wish  to  see 
him,  and  he  desires  to  see  you,  but  — "  and  he 
hesitated,  "perhaps  there's  no  harm  in  my  telling 
you,  Fisher,  for  he  has  told  me  that  he  intends 
speaking  to  you  about  it  —  he  's  not  alone." 

"Not  alone?"  said  Ames,  quickly,  a  sudden 
light  coming  into  his  eyes  as  he  noticed  Mr. 
Minot's  strange  and  reserved  manner.  "  Who  's 
with  him  ?  " 

"  A  young  lady,  Fisher,"  said  Mr.  Minot,  throw 
ing  off  his  hesitancy.  u  Perhaps  I  ought  to  have 
left  it  to  him  to  inform  you,  but  my  house  is  not 
very  large,  and  you  're  not  a  fool !  Yes,  he  has 
brought  the  young  woman  from  the  Petersham 
farm,  and  she  is  a  sweet  good  girl,  I  am  sure. 
That  is  why  I  brought  you  here  instead  of  taking 
you  directly  to  Mrs.  Minot  in  the  parlor." 

Ames  thought  a  moment,  with  a  doubtful  expres 
sion  in  his  eyes.     Then  he  said  slowly,  — 
264 


Captain  Shays. 

"  You  —  you  don't  think  there  is  anything  wrong 
about  this,  do  you,  Mr.  Minot  ?  " 

"  No,  my  boy.  He  has  told  us  all  about  it,  and 
it 's  perfectly  honorable  and  straightforward. 
But  as  I  said,  I  '11  leave  it  to  him  to  tell  you  his 
story.  He's  also  in  the  parlor.  Now  that  I've 
broken  the  ice  I  '11  call  him.  He  knows  that  you 
are  here,  for  he  saw  you  ride  by  the  window." 

"  This  is  very  strange,"  answered  Ames.  "  I 
don't  quite  understand  it." 

"  He  '11  clear  it  all  up  for  you,  Fisher.  Believe 
me,  there  is  nothing  doubtful  about  it.  It 's  a  very 
sad  case,  and  William  has  acted  manfully." 

"  I  believe  you,"  said  Ames,  his  face  lighting  up 
with  a  bright  smile,  "  and  I  'd  like  to  see  him." 

Mr.  Minot  crossed  the  hall,  and  went  quietly 
into  the  parlor.  After  he  was  gone,  Fisher  Ames 
put  his  chin  in  his  hand  and  looked  out  of  the 
window  toward  the  well,  and  thought,  — 

"  At  first  I  was  afraid  he  'd  run  away  with  her, 
but  Mr.  Minot  seems  to  know  about  it,  and  it  must 
be  all  right.  Ah!  here  he  comes.  — Well,  I'm 
glad  to  see  you,  Perry." 

The  young  man  took  his  hand  and  smiled. 

"And  I  consider  it  very  fortunate  that  you 
should  have  stopped  here  to-day.  Mr.  Minot  has 
told  me  that  you  know  who  is  here.  It 's  all  very 

265 


Captain  Shays. 

easily  explained,  Ames.  I  tried  to  get  to  Peter 
sham  ahead  of  that  little  snake,  Piper,  but  I  was 
detained  on  the  road." 

4 '  What  do  you  mean?  You  were  not  waylaid 
by  the  rebels  ? " 

"  Indeed  I  was,  and  had  it  not  been  for  Ruth 
and  Molly,  I  probably  should  not  be  here  now. 
Listen,  I  will  tell  you  about  it." 

As  William  proceeded  with  his  story,  Ames'  face 
lost  its  anxious  expression.  At  last  he  said,  — 

"  I  'm  much  relieved  by  what  you  tell  me,  Perry. 
You  must  acknowledge  that  for  a  young  man  to 
turn  up  thus  unexpectedly  with  a  young  lady  might 
appear  strange.  Now  that  you  have  explained  it, 
I  think  you  have  done  right,  and  you  were  wise  in 
bringing  her  here." 

"  Now,  Ames,  I  want  to  ask  you  about  this  mat 
ter  of  Piper's,"  said  Perry,  a  few  moments  later. 
"In  your  judgment,  can  he  now  maintain  posses 
sion,  or  can  I  take  up  the  mortgage  ?  " 

Ames  thought  a  moment,  and  answered,  — 

"  Do  you  think  that  Piper  cares  to  hold  the 
property,  if  he  can  get  the  money  ?  " 

"  I  really  don't  know,  but  I  'm  inclined  to  believe 
that  he  does.  He  was  quite  anxious  to  foreclose, 
and  made  no  overture  for  a  settlement." 

"  All  you  Ve  got  to  do  is  to  make  tender  of  the 
266 


Captain  Shays. 

amount  due  on  the  mortgage  and  bring  a  bill  for 
redemption.  Last  year's  statute  is  clear  enough." 

"  Besides  this,"  said  Perry,  "  the  entry  was  not 
peaceable.  Far  from  it.  The  old  man  was  forced 
into  it,  and  given  no  chance  to  speak.  On  the 
whole,  there  cannot  be  much  trouble  from  this 
source,  for  I  've  put  aside  the  money  to  redeem 
with.  It 's  about  Deacon  Brown  that  I  'm  most 
anxious.  What  do  you  advise  doing  in  his 
case  ?  " 

"In  the  first  place,  get  an  order  for  his  pardon 
and  release.  Come  in  to  my  office  to-morrow,  and 
we  '11  go  together  to  his  excellency.  This  part  will 
be  easy  enough.  Then  you'll  have  to  hunt  him 
up.  Do  not  believe,  Perry,  that  this  is  the  fault  of 
government.  The  officers  had  their  orders  and 
their  duty  to  perform,  and  you  '11  allow  that  Mr. 
Brown  has  been  disloyal  and  was  very  hard  to 
deal  with.  Yet  I  'm  inclined  to  think  that  Piper 
was  careful  to  get  the  most  unscrupulous  officers 
he  could  find,  and  that  the  old  man  has  been  well 
hidden.  Jerry  thinks  that  by  doing  this  he  will 
remove  all  opposition  to  his  claim,  but  he's  mis 
taken." 

"  I  thank  you  very  much  for  your  advice,"  said 
Perry,  with  a  grateful  smile.  "  You  '11  excuse  me 
if  I  don't  present  you  to  Ruth  to-night.  The  poor 
267 


Captain  Shays. 

girl  is  thoroughly  exhausted,  and  Mrs.  Minot  says 
she  must  see  no  one,  and  rest." 

"  Of  course,  Perry,  I  did  n't  expect  to  see  her 
now,  although  I  shall  hope  to  before  long.  I  must 
be  going.  Don't  disturb  Mr.  Minot.  I  '11  slip 
away  quietly,  and  you  can  make  my  excuses  to 
him.  I  '11  pass  along  the  Neck  at  about  eight 
o'clock  to-morrow  morning,  and  if  you  '11  meet  me 
at  the  corner  of  the  road  we  can  ride  in  together. 
I  '11  wait  there  for  you,  and  you  can  do  the  same  for 
me,  in  case  you  arrive  first.  Good-night,  my  boy.  I 
appreciate  everything,  and  under  all  the  circum 
stances,  you  have  acted  well,  and  just  as  I  'd  have 
expected  of  you.  Tell  Miss  Brown  to  keep  a 
brave  heart,  and  we  '11  straighten  everything." 

With  a  warm  pressure  of  the  hand,  William 
bade  Ames  good-night.  He  stood  at  the  window 
and  watched  him  as  he  rode  away. 

"  What  a  man  he  is  !  "  thought  Perry.  "  If  they 
were  all  like  him,  what  a  country  this  would  be  ! '; 

"Well,  my  dear  boy,"  said  Mr.  Minot's  voice 
behind  him,  "  so  Fisher 's  gone  without  bidding 
me  good-night  ? " 

"  Yes,  sir,  he  left  his  apologies." 

"  No  need  of  them,  not  in  the  least.  It  was  I 
who  left  him.  Now,  William,  I  advise  you  to  go  to 
bed.  Mrs.  Minot  and  Miss  Ruth  have  already  gone, 
268 


Captain  Shays. 

and  you  look  as  if  a  good  night's  rest  would  do 
you  no  harm.  I  've  got  some  writing  to  do,  so  will 
sit  here  for  a  little  while.  Good-night" 

"  Good-night,  Mr.  Minot.  I  have  asked  a  good 
deal  of  you,  but  you  've  done  it  so  kindly,  that  I 
see  that  I  made  no  mistake  in  coming  to  you." 

"  And  to  whom  else  would  you  go  ? "  said  the 
host,  taking  the  young  man's  hands.  "Your 
father  was  a  very  dear  friend  of  mine,  and  I  've 
watched  you  with  interest  and  pride  ever  since  you 
were  a  little  urchin  running  about  the  farm  feeding 
the  hens.  We  live  very  quietly  here,  William,  and 
Miss  Ruth  may  stay  with  us  as  long  as  you  and 
she  wish  it.  I  presume  you'll  have  to  be  away 
much  of  the  time  ?  " 

"  I  go  with  Ames  to-morrow  to  make  arrange 
ments.  I  thank  you  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart. 
Good-night,  sir." 

It  was  scarcely  eight  o'clock  when  William 
closed  his  eyes  and  began  to  sleep  peacefully. 
Ruth  was  already  dreaming,  and  in  the  stable 
Molly's  head  was  beginning  to  droop,  as  she  won 
dered  what  all  this  excitement  was  about,  anyway. 


269 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

ON  the  brow  of  Beacon  Hill,  there  stood  a  cen 
tury  ago  the  massive  brick  mansion  occu 
pied  by  Governor  James  Bowdoin,  set  back  from 
Beacon  Street,  as  was  the  residence  of  Peter  Fan- 
euil  to  the  north  and  that  of  Bromfield  to  the  south. 
At  the  date  of  this  story,  Mr.  Bowdoin  had  owned 
the  estate  for  thirty  years,  having  purchased  it  of 
John  Erving  in  1756.  Like  the  houses  about  it,  it 
was  square,  three  stories  high,  with  a  railing  round 
the  roof.  It  was  approached  through  a  gate  and 
a  long  flight  of  steep  stone  steps,  broken  about 
midway  between  street  and  door  by  a  platform,  a 
sort  of  resting  place  for  those  whose  legs  were 
weary  in  the  ascent,  or  for  those  whose  heads  had 
become  dizzy  with  the  generous  hospitality  of  the 
host,  and  who  on  occasions  found  the  descent  a 
perilous  one. 

On  the  morning  after  the  receipt  of  the  news  of 
Shattuck's  defeat  and  capture,  Governor  Bowdoin 
and  General  Lincoln  sat  in  the  study  by  the  ma- 
270 


Captain  Shays. 

hogany  table,  discussing  the  situation  and  a  bottle 
of  Madeira.  The  faces  of  both  wore  a  relieved 
expression,  the  governor's  because  he  was  pleased 
to  think  the  rebellion  was  near  its  end ;  the  gen 
eral's  because  he  felt  that  now  he  would  not  be 
called  upon  to  take  command,  and  march,  Heaven 
knew  where,  to  suppress  the  insurgents.  With  his 
arm  resting  on  the  table,  Governor  Bowdoin  was 
speaking. 

"  Brooks  and  Wood  have  done  splendidly,  Lin 
coln,  and  if  Shepard  only  does  as  well,  we  '11  soon 
be  through  our  troubles.  What  do  you  think  of 
the  outlook?" 

Lincoln  looked  up  in  his  stolid  way,  and  with  no 
change  of  expression,  as  he  answered,  — 

"  I  think  as  soon  as  the  ringleaders  are  shot 
we  '11  have  peace.  The  sooner,  the  better." 

"  I  'm  inclined  to  agree  with  you,  Lincoln,  but 
I  'm  not  sure  that  it  would  not  be  better  policy  to 
treat  them  as  rebellious  children.  An  offer  of  par 
don  now  might  bring  them  to  terms." 

"Umph,"  said  Lincoln,  raising  his  shoulders. 
"  I  suppose  that  would  apply  as  well  in  the  case 
of  all  murderers  and  criminals.  Why  not  pardon 
'em  all  and  turn  'em  loose  on  the  community? 
No,  sir.  No  pardon." 

"  You  mean,  as  regards  the  leaders  ?  Of  course 
271 


Captain  Shays. 

it  would  be  best  to  deal  leniently  with  those  whom 
they  have  deluded  and  misled." 

"  That 's  for  your  excellency  to  decide.  If  you 
ask  my  opinion,  I  advise  teaching  'em  all  a  lesson." 

"  I  have  heard  that  Shays  promises  to  renew 
his  allegiance  to  government  if  a  full  pardon  is 
accorded  him.  Would  it  not  be  wise  to  take  ad 
vantage  of  this  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Lincoln,  shortly.  "  He  has  about 
as  much  regard  for  his  oath  as  a  Malay  pirate. 
Don't  trust  him  or  any  of  'em.  A  pound  of  shot 
or  a  good  hempen  rope  is  the  only  agreement 
which  will  bind  Shays." 

"You  don't  seem  to  have  great  confidence  in 
your  fellow-countrymen,"  said  the  governor,  with  a 
smile.  "  But  I  suppose  you  're  right.  We  Ve 
been  very  lenient  toward  them,  and  they've 
abused  it.  However,  we  can't  hang  the  whole 
community.  We  must  draw  the  line  somewhere. 
Where  would  you  draw  it  ? " 

"  I  can't  say,  sir.  It 's  hard  to  tell  until  we 
know  more  of  the  facts.  But  I  should  continue 
to  use  a  firm  hand  until  the  last  vestige  of  rebel 
lion  is  stamped  out.  Then  we  can  decide." 

"  I  hear  that  Shays  is  hovering  between  Rut 
land  and  Worcester,  and  having  a  pretty  clear 
field.  He  intended  coming  into  Middlesex,  but 
272 


Captain  Shays. 

will  undoubtedly  abandon  the  idea  now  that  we 
have  broken  up  his  allies  in  that  county." 

"  I  don't  know,"  answered  Lincoln.  "  You 
never  can  tell  what  these  fellows  will  do.  Holloa, 
here  comes  Ames  up  the  steps.  I  can  see  him 
over  the  hedge.  Who  's  with  him  ?  " 

Governor  Bowdoin  rose,  went  to  the  window, 
and  looked  down  toward  the  stone  wall,  over  the 
grass  plot. 

"  That 's  young  Perry,"  he  said,  as  he  passed 
out  through  the  hall  and  opened  the  door.  "  Well, 
well,"  he  said  pleasantly  as  the  young  men 
reached  the  last  step,  "come  in.  General  Lin 
coln  is  here,  and  we  were  congratulating  ourselves 
on  the  news." 

"  Perhaps  your  excellency  does  n't  know  that  our 
friend  Perry  was  in  at  the  death?"  said  Ames, 
looking  at  Perry  with  a  smile. 

"  You  don't  say  so,  Ames.  I  'm  glad  to  see  you, 
William;  come  in." 

"  Now,"  said  the  governor  to  Perry,  after  the 
two  young  men  had  exchanged  greetings  with 
General  Lincoln,  "  tell  us  about  it.  How  did  you 
happen  to  be  on  hand  ?  I  thought  you  were  in 
Boston." 

"  It  was  entirely  by  accident,  your  excellency," 
said  Perry,  with  a  little  hesitation.  "  I  had  been 
18 


Captain  Shays. 

up  in  the  country  on  business,  and  was  passing 
through  the  woods  in  Groton,  and  happened  upon 
them." 

"  Were  you  alone  ?  It 's  rather  dangerous 
travelling  in  the  interior." 

"  No,  your  excellency,  I  was  not  alone,  and 
that 's  why  I  've  come  to  see  you.  I  hope  I  'm 
not  interrupting  you." 

"  Not  in  the  least.  The  general  and  I  were 
simply  talking  matters  over  in  a  quiet  way." 

"  The  fact  is,"  began  Ames,  seeing  Perry's  hesi 
tancy,  "  we  've  come  to  ask  a  favor  of  you,  sir. 
Mr.  Perry  has  just  arrived  from  Petersham,  and 
there  has  been  a  case  of  what  seems  to  us  an  un 
necessary  use  of  authority.  An  old  farmer  who 
had  mortgaged  his  estate  in  Boston  has  been  ar 
rested  and  secreted,  because  he  opposed  the  mort- 
gageor  and  the  officers  when  they  attempted  to 
enter.  It 's  a  very  hard  case,  sir,  and  Perry  will 
tell  you  about  it  if  you  '11  permit  it." 

"  With  pleasure,  William,"  said  Mr.  Bowdoin, 
smiling  at  his  young  friend.  "  The  general  will 
also  be  glad  to  hear  you." 

General  Lincoln  nodded  his  approval,  and  Wil 
liam  proceeded.  When  he  had  reached  the  point 
where  he  had  been  stopped  by  Day,  Lincoln 
looked  up  and  said,  — 

274 


Captain  Shays. 

"  You  'd  better  pardon  him,  your  excellency. 
It  might  reform  him." 

Mr.  Bowdoin  took  the  sally  pleasantly,  and 
laughed. 

"  You  're  too  tender-hearted,  Lincoln,"  he  said. 

When  Perry  had  finished  his  story  he  waited 
for  the  governor  to  speak,  which  he  did  finally 
thus,  — 

"There  is  no  intention  on  the  part  of  gov 
ernment  to  be  unjust  or  unnecessarily  severe,  but 
you  understand  how  difficult  it  is  for  us  to  act  in 
the  present  crisis  without  sometimes  going  further 
than  we  would  wish.  This  case  is  a  hard  one, 
and  the  young  lady  has  shown  great  courage  and 
character,  and  I  will  order  this  blacksmith's 
release.  Do  you  know  where  he  is  imprisoned  ?  " 

"  No,  your  excellency." 

'*  Then  I  '11  give  you  the  order,  and  it  will  be 
obeyed  when  you  find  him,  for  the  General  Court 
have  vested  me  with  this  power  in  the  case  of 
political  criminals.  I  do  this  on  your  own  account, 
William,  but  I  could  not  refuse  Mr.  Ames  in  any 
event.  We  owe  too  much  to  him  already,  to 
hesitate  to  grant  anything  he  may  ask." 

"  You  are  too  flattering,  your  excellency,"  said 
Ames,  bowing  modestly.  "  I  Ve  done  nothing  to 
merit  especial  favor,  but  I  do  think  you  have 
275 


Captain  Shays. 

acted  rightly  in  this  case.     I  thank  you  for  doing 
as  you  have." 

"  I  feel  that  you  Ve  done  me  a  great  personal 
kindness,  sir,"  said  Perry,  warmly.  "  Had  I  not 
been  sure  of  your  good  heart  and  clear  judgment, 
I  should  have  hesitated  to  ask  this  favor  of  you. 
But  I  was  sure  that  you  would  understand  the  true 
state  of  the  case,  and  so  I  accepted  Ames*  invita 
tion  to  come  with  him  to  call  on  you  this  morning. 
I  thank  you  sincerely,  sir." 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on  General 
Lincoln  sat  in  silence.  It  was  evident  from  his 
expression  that  he  did  not  fully  approve  of 
Governor  Bowdoin's  leniency,  but  being  a  good 
soldier  he  did  not  presume  to  interfere  with  the 
commands  of  his  superior  officer.  He  sat  with  his 
mouth  firmly  set  and  his  eyebrows  raised,  the 
picture  of  dogged  obstinacy. 

When  the  two  young  men  were  gone,  the  gov 
ernor  returned  and  sat  down  opposite  the  general, 
and  watched  him  a  moment,  then  spoke, — 

"  Fine  fellows,  both  of  them,  Lincoln.  Ames  is 
uncommonly  brilliant,  and  will  make  his  mark. 
I  'm  glad  to  be  able  to  do  something  for  them." 

"  It 's  all  right,  I  suppose,  governor,"  said  the 
general,    a  little  sourly.     "  But  if  you  begin  this 
thing,  where  are  you  going  to  stop  ?  " 
276 


Captain  Shays. 

11  It 's  very  evident  that  Perry  is  interested  in 
this  young  woman,"  answered  the  governor,  "  and 
you  heard  the  story.  It  was  certainly  a  hard 
case." 

"Have  you  heard  anything  from  Shepard 
lately  ?  "  asked  Lincoln,  dropping  the  subject  of 
Perry  and  the  blacksmith  abruptly. 

"  Yes.  He  's  still  in  Springfield,  and  is  await 
ing  developments.  I  have  just  received  a  letter 
from  the  sheriff  of  Worcester  that  it  will  be  dan 
gerous  for  the  courts  to  sit  there  this  week.  I 
shall  consult  the  Council  on  this  matter,  but  my  in 
clination  is  to  advise  the  justices  to  adjourn  to  the 
end  of  January.  By  that  time  everything  will  be 
quiet,  and  such  action  will  prevent  bloodshed." 

"  I  agree  with  you  this  time,  your  excellency," 
said  Lincoln,  rising.  "  There  's  no  use  in  giving 
'em  the  opportunity  of  doing  mischief.  If  there 
is  n't  any  court  there  can't  be  any  cause  for 
attempting  to  stop  it." 

"  You  're  not  going  yet  ?  " 

"  With  your  permission,  yes.  I  Ve  promised  to 
be  home  to  dinner,  and  I  see  my  sleigh  at  the 
gate.  If  you  need  me,  your  excellency,  I  shall  be 
at  your  service,  but  I  hope  you  '11  get  along  with 
out  me.  As  I  've  told  you  several  times  I  'm  get 
ting  lazy." 

277 


Captain  Shays. 

"  And  as  I  Ve  often  mentioned  to  you,  you  're 
too  modest,  Lincoln." 

"  Call  it  modesty  or  laziness,  whichever  you 
wish.  It 's  all  one,  and  the  fact  is  I  want  to  stay 
at  Hingham  and  look  after  the  farm." 

"  Good  day  then,  general.  I,  too,  hope  I  '11  not 
have  to  call  on  you,  but  I  shall  do  so  if  it  becomes 
necessary.  Good-bye.  I  thank  you  for  coming 
in." 

General  Lincoln  felt  his  way  carefully  down  the 
slippery  steps,  and  a  few  moments  later  was  lean 
ing  back  in  his  sleigh  wrapped  in  furs,  bound  for 
Hingham. 

Governor  Bowdoin  went  back  to  the  dining- 
room  with  a  smile  on  his  face. 

"  He  's  a  queer  character,"  he  thought,  "  and  I 
don't  know  him  yet.  But  I  'm  sure  of  one  thing  : 
if  he  decides  to  do  anything,  he  '11  accomplish  it, 
even  were  the  skies  to  fall  upon  him." 


278 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

WILLIAM  PERRY  and  Fisher  Ames  walked 
down  Beacon  and  Treamount  streets,  and 
at  last  into  the  former's  office  on  King  Street. 
Here  they  discussed  the  matter  of  the  mortgage 
further,  and  after  William  had  placed  the  five 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  the  principal  and  interest 
due  on  the  note,  in  Ames'  hands,  and  the  latter 
had  agreed  to  begin  proceedings  for  the  redemp 
tion  of  the  farm,  he  mounted  the  horse  he  had 
borrowed  that  morning  of  Mr.  Minot,  and  started 
off  toward  Dorchester. 

William  seemed  like  his  old  self  as  he  trotted 
along  over  the  snow,  and  he  whistled  and  sang, 
and  was  in  a  very  contented  frame  of  mind. 
He  had  accomplished  much  that  morning,  and  he 
was  impatient  to  get  to  Ruth  and  tell  her  what 
he  had  done.  He  felt  a  little  guilty  at  his  selfish 
ness,  but  he  was  so  happy  in  his  own  prospects, 
that  the  fact  that  the  poor  old  blacksmith  might 
at  that  very  moment  be  ill  and  suffering  in  a 
279 


Captain  Shays. 

prison,  lost  some  of  its  effect  upon  him.  He  had 
fully  decided,  however,  what  he  would  do.  It  had 
now  become  evident  to  him  that  Piper  would  not 
have  sent  the  blacksmith  to  Boston,  and  he  had 
made  up  his  mind  to  go  directly  from  Dorchester 
to  Worcester  after  seeing  Ruth,  and  telling  her  of 
what  had  been  done.  Brown  was  more  likely  to 
be  about  there  than  anywhere  else. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Minot  had  gone  out,  and  Ruth 
sat  watching  at  the  parlor  window  for  William's 
return.  When  she  saw  him  ride  up,  she  ran  to 
the  door  and  opened  it.  She  knew  at  once  by 
his  manner  that  he  had  been  successful,  and  the 
tears  came  to  her  eyes. 

"  Here,  Sammy,"  called  Perry,  "  come  and  take 
the  horse.  Give  him  a  good  dinner."  After  the 
boy  was  gone  he  continued,  taking  Ruth  by  both 
hands,  and  kissing  her :  "  It 's  all  right,  dear. 
The  governor  has  given  me  the  order  of  release, 
and  Ames  is  going  to  attend  to  the  mortgage. 
Where  are  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Minot  ?  " 

"  They  've  gone  out  to  dinner." 

'*  Then  I  '11  dine  with  you  as  early  as  it  is  con 
venient  for  them  to  give  us  something.  I  'm  off 
for  Worcester  to-night.  We  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  your  father  must  be  somewhere 
near  there." 

280 


Captain  Shays. 

Ruth's  face  lengthened. 

"  I  don't  like  to  have  you  go  there,"  she  said 
anxiously.  "  I  feel  sure  that  they  '11  see  you,  and 
you  won't  have  me  to  look  you  up." 

"  Don't  worry,  Ruth  dear.  I  'm  going  to  take 
precautions  this  time.  I  '11  tell  you  just  how  I  Jm 
going,  and  you  will  see  that  I  intend  keeping  out 
of  the  way  of  my  old  friends." 

"  How  are  you  going  ?  " 

"  In  the  first  place  let  me  tell  you  that  our 
friends,  Shays  and  Day,  are  between  Worcester 
and  Rutland,  and  do  not  dare  come  farther  east, 
nor  farther  south.  When  they  move  next  it  will 
be  toward  Springfield,  and  as  the  court  does  not 
sit  there  until  the  end  of  December,  I  ought  to 
be  able  to  keep  clear  of  them." 

"  Then  you  're  going  south  of  Worcester  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I  shall  go  through  Dedham,  Holliston, 
Upton,  and  Sutton,  whence  I  shall  try  to  learn  what 
I  can.  If  I  go  to  Worcester,  I  shall  do  so  by  night, 
and  be  careful." 

"  You  are  very  good  to  me,"  she  said,  "  and  I 
don't  feel  as  if  I  deserved  it." 

"  Yes,  you  do,  dear,"  said  William,  clasping 
her  tenderly  in  his  arms.  "  I  've  told  you  that 
I  love  you,  my  darling,  and  I  have  good  rea 
sons  for  believing  that  you  care  a  little  for 
281 


Captain  Shays. 

me.  Therefore  I  can't  see  but  that  everything 
is  all  right." 

"When  will  you  be  back?"  asked  Ruth,  as 
Perry  was  mounting  Molly  after  dinner. 

"  I  can't  say,  Ruth.  I  sha'n't  come  until  I  have 
found  your  father,  or  at  least  learned  where  he  is. 
Good-bye,  and  God  bless  you,  and  care  for  you. 
Explain  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Minot  why  I  have  left 
so  unceremoniously." 

Ruth  watched  him  until  he  was  out  of  sight,  then 
turned  and  went  into  the  house. 

William  Perry  took  the  journey  very  easily.  In 
the  first  place  he  wanted  to  examine  every  town 
through  which  he  passed,  and  besides  this  Molly 
had  been  worked  hard  of  late,  and  he  realized  that 
he  might  be  obliged  to  travel  long  and  far  before 
he  accomplished  his  mission.  As  he  passed 
through  Dedham  he  was  reminded  of  his  last  visit 
there,  and  of  Ames'  parting  warning,  "  beware  the 
dairy-maid." 

"  Well,"  he  thought,  with  a  smile  of  satisfaction, 
"  I  'm  decidedly  glad  I  did  n't  heed  it.  Ames' 
advice  is  generally  sound,  but  in  this  instance  he 
made  a  mistake." 

He  rode  on  for  some  time,  thinking  of  little 
save  the  country  about  him,  for  his  mind  was 
in  a  way  relieved,  and  he  had  decided  to  take 
282 


Captain  Shays. 

things  quietly.  In  some  places  the  snow  had 
drifted  badly,  and  the  roads  were  unbroken,  so 
that  it  was  growing  dark  before  he  reached  the 
little  village  of  Holliston,  where  he  put  up  for  the 
night  in  a  farm-house.  Perry  took  nearly  three 
days  to  get  to  Ward,  a  small  town  five  miles  south 
of  Worcester,  on  French  River.  Everything  had 
seemed  peaceful  along  the  road,  and  the  contrast 
with  his  previous  journeys  was  very  marked  in  this 
respect.  He  thought  what  a  strange  thing  chance 
was.  There  was  no  especial  reason  why  he  should 
have  returned  from  Springfield  through  Petersham 
three  months  before,  but  how  it  had  changed  his 
whole  life !  He  had  only  taken  that  route  for  a 
diversion,  and  he  had  certainly  found  one,  and  a 
very  serious  one. 

The  people  in  the  village  south  of  Worcester 
told  him  that  they  had  had  no  trouble  from  the 
insurgents.  Once  or  twice  small  bands  had  passed 
through  their  farms,  but  had  done  very  little  dam 
age.  Shays  himself  had  not  been  there,  for  he 
had  other  and  more  important  business,  and  at  the 
present  time  his  attention  was  on  Worcester,  where 
the  court  was  to  sit  on  the  following  day,  Monday, 
the  fourth  of  December. 

"  I  guess  I  '11  go  right  on  in  the  morning," 
thought  Perry.  "  The  excitement  will  be  such 

283 


Captain  Shays. 

that  they  '11  not  notice  me,  and  I  can  find  some 
officer  of  the  court  who  can  give  me  information. 
I  '11  leave  Molly  here  and  walk  over.  It's  only 
five  miles." 

When  Perry  went  to  bed  that  night  the  sky 
was  overcast,  and  the  wind  was  rising  from  the 
northeast. 

"Am  I  going  to  be  caught  in  another  snow 
storm  ? "  he  wondered,  as  he  blew  out  the  candle 
and  went  to  bed.  The  farm-house  in  which  he 
was  passing  the  night  was  a  small  one,  and  loosely 
built,  and  as  the  wind  increased,  it  seemed  to  the 
young  man  that  the  roof  under  which  he  was  rest 
ing  would  be  raised  bodily,  and  hurled  into  the 
forest  across  the  road.  More  than  once  he  was 
wakened  by  a  creaking  sound,  followed  by  a  low 
moan,  as  the  wind  swept  down  the  chimney. 
Finally,  however,  he  fell  asleep. 

It  was  early  when  he  woke,  and  jumping  out  of 
bed,  went  to  the  window.  He  stopped  in  amaze 
ment,  and  uttered  an  exclamation.  Perry  had  seen 
many  snowstorms,  but  none  like  this  had  ever 
pictured  itself  in  his  imagination.  Piled  high  over 
the  road  and  fences,  the  drifts  rose  up  against  the 
side  of  the  house  nearly  to  the  window  of  his  room. 
The  very  trees  of  the  grove  on  the  hill  opposite 
seemed  wellnigh  buried,  and  the  snow  was  falling 
284 


Captain  Shays. 

in  great  dry  flakes,  twisted  and  turned  about  in 
the  roaring  tempest.  Perry  watched  a  moment, 
then  smiled. 

"  Now  I  'm  in  for  it,"  he  thought,  as  he  turned 
back  into  his  room  and  began  to  dress.  "  I  'm 
lucky  to  be  here  and  not  on  the  road,  and  I  'm 
glad  not  to  be  boxed  up  in  Worcester  with  those 
rascals.  There's  no  use  trying  to  walk  there 
to-day,  and  I  'm  sure  I  'm  not  going  to  make 
Molly  go  out  in  this  storm,  so  I  '11  have  to  wait. 
Well,  I  can  think,  and  perhaps  my  time  won't  be 
wasted." 

All  that  day  the  storm  raged,  and  William 
began  toward  night  to  become  impatient  as  he 
saw  no  signs  of  clearing.  He  had  been  to  the  barn 
several  times  to  make  sure  that  the  mare  was  com 
fortable,  and  even  this  short  distance  of  a  few 
rods  was  as  much  as  his  strong  physique  could 
endure.  He  found  the  barn  warm  and  comfort 
able,  for  it  was  practically  covered  with  snow,  and 
the  wind  had  no  inlet.  As  is  sometimes  the  case 
in  a  New  England  snowstorm,  especially  when  it 
comes  from  the  northeast  with  a  piercing  wind, 
the  weather  was  intensely  cold.  It  seemed  to 
William  that  no  living  being  could  long  survive  it, 
and  he  settled  himself  by  the  kitchen  fire  and  en 
tered  into  conversation  with  the  farmer  and  his  wife. 

285 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Is  this  the  kind  of  weather  you  usually  have  in 
this  town  ?  "  he  asked  with  a  laugh. 

"  Well,  not  exactly,"  answered  the  farmer.  "  I 
ain't  seen  nothing  like  it  for  twenty  year.  But,  as 
the  saying  is,  'It 's  an  ill  wind  that  don't  blow  no 
good,'  and  I  guess  this  one  will  help  some  of 
us." 

"  It  helps  me  to  comfortable  quarters  with  you," 
said  Perry,  pleasantly,  "  but  I  don't  suppose  that 's 
what  you  mean." 

"  No,  it  ain't,  sir.  What  I  mean  is  this :  them 
rascals  that  can't  see  when  they  're  well  treated, 
are  roaming  about  the  country  a  stealing  and  get 
ting  drunk,  and  this  '11  put  a  stop  to  'em  for  a 
while.  At  any  rate  they  can't  get  down  here." 

"Whom  do  you  mean?"  asked  Perry,  not  quite 
certain  whether  his  interlocutor  referred  to  the 
militia  or  the  insurgents. 

"  I  mean  Dan  Shays  and  Luke  Day,  and  the 
thieves  who  are  a  follering  'em.  I  Ve  suffered  as 
much  as  they  have  and  a  blamed  sight  more,  but 
I  'm  willing  to  do  my  share  toward  keeping  up 
this  great  government.  Do  ye  know  they're  a 
gathering  in  Worcester  to-day,  or  at  least  they 
mean  to  if  the  weather  '11  let  'em  ?  The  court 
sets  there  this  week." 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  answered  Perry,  "  and  I  in- 
286 


Captain  Shays. 

tended  walking  over  to  Worcester,  to-day.  I 
wanted  to  see  the  sheriff  about  some  business." 

"  Well,  you  won't  get  there  to-day  nor  to-morrow, 
nuther,  unless  I  'm  mighty  mistaken.  I  ain't 
dared  to  go  there  for  a  week,  and  I  advise  ye  to 
keep  out  of  that  town  until  they  get  out  of  it. 
They  Ve  got  the  whole  place  right  in  their  fists, 
and  a  decent  man  can't  live  there.  I  '11  make  ye 
comfortable  as  I  can  here  until  ye  can  move  on." 

"  I  'm  obliged  to  you,  and  I  don't  see  but  that  I  '11 
have  to  accept  your  hospitality  for  a  day  or  two." 

The  storm  which  had  begun  on  the  night  of  the 
third  of  December  lasted  without  interruption  for 
two  days  and  three  nights.  On  the  third  morning 
after  his  arrival  at  Ward,  William  Perry  looked 
out  of  his  window  and  saw  the  sun  shining 
brightly;  the  snow-laden  pines,  the  hills  and  the 
country  around  sparkling  in  its  rays.  Where  the 
road  was,  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  tell,  but 
Perry  had  become  impatient,  so  determined  to 
undertake  the  ride  to  Worcester.  He  bade  fare 
well  to  his  hosts,  and  saddling  and  bridling  Molly, 
mounted  and  ploughed  his  way  through  the 
drifts.  When  he  finally  reached  Worcester,  he 
found  that  Shays  and  most  of  his  followers  had 
moved  to  Rutland,  and  that  the  courts  had  ad 
journed  pursuant  to  the  recommendations.  He 

287 


Captain  Shays. 

learned  these  things  at  the  little  tavern  from  his 
old  friend  the  host,  who  was  pleased  to  see  him, 
and  more  pleased  to  be  rid  of  the  rioters,  who  had 
been  living  freely  in  the  town  for  some  time  past. 

"  They  're  a  bit  discouraged,  sir,"  he  said,  "  but 
the  end  ain't  come  yet.  Read  this  in  the  Hamp 
shire  '  Gazette,'  which  was  left  here  yesterday." 

He  handed  Perry  the  paper,  and  the  young  man 
read  the  following,  — 

An  Address  to  the  people  of  the  several  towns  in 
the  County  of  Hampshire  now  at  arms  — 

GENTLEMEN:  — 

We  have  thought  proper  to  inform  you  of  some 
of  the  principal  causes  of  the  late  risings  of  the  peo 
ple,  and  also  of  their  present  movement,  viz. : 

ist.  The  present  expensive  mode  of  collecting  debts, 
which,  by  reason  of  the  great  scarcity  of  cash,  will  of 
necessity  fill  our  gaols  with  unhappy  debtors,  and 
thereby  a  reputable  body  of  people  rendered  incapa 
ble  of  being  serviceable  either  to  themselves  or  the 
community. 

2d.  The  moneys  raised  by  impost  and  excise  being 
appropriated  to  discharge  the  interest  of  governmental 
securities,  and  not  the  foreign  debt,  when  these  secu 
rities  are  not  subject  to  taxation. 

3d.  A  suspension  of  the  writ  of  Habeas  Corpus,  by 
which  those  persons  who  have  stepped  forth  to  assert 
288 


Captain  Shays. 

and  maintain  the  rights  of  the  people,  are  liable  to  be 
taken  and  conveyed  even  to  the  most  distant  part  of 
the  Commonwealth,  and  thereby  subjected  to  an  unjust 
punishment. 

4th.  The  unlimited  power  granted  to  Justices  of  the 
Peace  and  Sheriffs  and  Deputy  Sheriffs  and  Constables, 
by  the  Riot  Act,  indemnifying  them  to  the  prosecution 
thereof,  when  perhaps  wholly  actuated  from  a  principle 
of  revenge,  hatred,  and  envy. 

Furthermore :  Be  assured,  that  this  body,  now  at 
arms,  despise  the  idea  of  being  instigated  by  British 
emissaries,  which  is  so  strenuously  propagated  by  the 
enemies  of  our  liberties :  and  also  wish  the  most  proper 
and  speedy  measures  may  be  taken  to  discharge  both 

our  foreign  and  domestic  debt. 

Per  Order. 

DANIEL  GRAY. 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  for  the  above  purpose. 

Perry  laid  down  the  paper  and  thought.  It 
seemed  to  him  that  the  case  of  Deacon  Brown  was 
especially  referred  to  in  this  order.  Nothing  could 
be  more  appropriate.  The  blacksmith  had  been 
arrested  and  imprisoned  from  a  principle  of  envy; 
he  had  been,  perhaps,  carried  to  the  most  distant 
part  of  the  Commonwealth.  Perry  saw  clearly 
that  the  people  were  not  yet  satisfied,  and  that 
the  host  was  right  in  saying  that  the  end  of  the 
troubles  had  not  yet  come. 
19  289 


Captain  Shays. 

"  No  doubt  government  is  acting  as  well  as  it 
can,"  he  thought,  as  he  went  to  his  room,  "  but  the 
people  have  some  just  cause  for  complaint,  and 
were  it  not  for  unscrupulous  leaders,  they  would 
settle  everything  in  a  very  short  time." 


290 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

ON  the  following  morning,  Perry  set  out  early 
in  search  of  the  sheriff  of  Worcester,  for 
he  thought  that  from  him  he  might  perhaps  get 
on  the  track  of  Deacon  Brown.  The  recent  snow 
storm  had  left  the  streets  of  the  town  in  an  almost 
impassable  condition,  and  they  were  nearly  de 
serted.  A  few  of  Shays'  followers  were  to  be 
seen,  but  the  greater  part  of  them  had  gone  with 
their  leader  to  Rutland,  where  they  were  to  remain 
for  some  time  in  a  forlorn  and  almost  destitute 
condition. 

The  walk  from  the  inn  to  the  court  house  was 
not  a  long  one,  and  Perry  had  little  difficulty  in 
finding  the  sheriff.  Upon  being  shown  the  order 
for  Brown's  release,  the  officer  gave  Perry  every 
attention,  but,  unfortunately,  little  information. 
He  remembered  sending  one  of  his  constables 
to  Petersham  about  two  weeks  before,  but  he 
had  been  so  much  occupied  in  Worcester  since 
then,  that  he  had  not  kept  the  run  of  him. 
291 


Captain  Shays. 

11  He  's  not  here,  though,"  said  the  sheriff. 
"  I  have  a  full  list  of  all  those  in  our  house  of 
correction,  and  I  know  he  isn't  among  'em." 

"  Where  would  you  advise  looking  ? "  asked 
Perry. 

"  It 's  hard  to  say,  sir.  Now  I  think  of  it,  that 's 
the  constable  who  's  never  turned  up.  If  he  did  n't 
take  him  to  Boston  you  may  make  up  your  mind 
that  he 's  gone  west.  I  've  had  a  great  deal  of 
trouble  with  some  of  my  deputies  and  constables 
lately.  Two  have  been  caught  in  collusion  with 
the  rebels,  and  another  has  been  accused  of 
receiving  a  bribe.  We  can't  trust  any  one  in 
these  days." 

Perry  thanked  the  man,  returned  to  the  inn, 
and  wrote  to  Ruth.  So  far  as  being  interrupted  by 
the  insurgents  was  concerned,  there  was  very  little 
danger  of  it  at  present.  The  court  in  Worcester 
had  adjourned,  and  that  in  Springfield  was  not 
to  meet  until  the  twenty-sixth  of  December,  and 
the  severe  weather  had  dampened  the  ardor  of 
those  most  actively  engaged  in  carrying  on  the 
rebellion.  So  it  was  that  early  the  next  day  Wil 
liam  set  out  again  toward  the  west.  His  ultimate 
destination  was  Springfield,  but  he  intended  going 
very  slowly,  for  ten  miles  through  the  unbroken 
snowdrifts  was  a  good  day's  journey  for  the  mare, 
292 


Captain  Shays. 

and  he  knew  that  she  might  have  many  miles  to 
travel  before  he  had  accomplished  his  object. 
The  first  night  he  spent  in  Spencer,  the  second 
in  Ware,  the  third  in  Ludlow ;  and  on  the  after 
noon  of  the  fourth,  rode  into  Springfield,  where 
he  put  up  at  the  tavern  and  determined  to  rest 
and  if  possible  learn  something. 

It  was  about  a  week  after  this,  as  Ruth  was 
sitting  in  the  parlor,  looking  out  over  the  river 
toward  Wollaston  Heights,  that  Mr.  Minot  came 
in  hurriedly  and  handed  her  a  letter.  She  knew 
the  writing  well,  and  broke  the  seal  nervously, 
for  she  had  expected  to  hear  something  by  every 
post,  and  as  each  letter  had  brought  no  news  of 
her  father,  she  had  become  more  and  more 
anxious.  As  she  began  to  read  this  one  her  face 
lighted,  but  as  she  proceeded  the  anxious  look 
returned,  and  the  tears  came  to  her  eyes.  Mr. 
Minot  noticed  it,  and  taking  her  hand  kindly, 
said,  — 

"  I  trust  the  news  is  not  bad,  my  dear  girl?" 

"It  is  good  and  bad,  both,"  answered  Ruth, 
sorrowfully.  "  Father  's  found,  but  he  's  very, 
very  ill.  Read  the  letter." 

Mr.  Minot  took  it  and  read. 

"  Dear,  dear,"  he  said,  as  he  finished.  "  This 
is  too  bad.  William  wants  you  to  go  to  Peter- 
293 


Captain  Shays. 

sham  to  meet  him.  Then  he  has  heard  from  Ames 
that  the  farm  is  redeemed  ?  Of  course.  I  did  n't 
see  that  part,  I  was  so  much  interested  in  the 
rest." 

"But  how  am  I  to  get  there,  Mr.  Minot?" 
asked  Ruth,  helplessly. 

"  I  '11  attend  to  that,  my  dear.  I  'd  go  with  you 
myself,  but  I  can't  very  well  leave.  But  I  can 
arrange  it.  You  shall  have  a  sleigh,  and  two 
reliable  men  shall  go  with  you." 

"  How  kind  everybody  is  to  me,"  said  Ruth, 
looking  up  gratefully. 

"  You  deserve  all  we  can  do  for  you,  my  dear 
girl.  I  '11  see  about  it  at  once,  and  you  can  start 
this  afternoon." 

Much  had  happened  since  William  Perry  had 
left  for  his  search  after  the  blacksmith.  Fisher 
Ames  had  seen  Piper  and  frightened  the  little 
man  into  making  a  settlement.  He  had  then 
tried  to  get  from  him  the  name  of  the  place 
where  Deacon  Brown  was  hidden,  and  in  the 
end  had  succeeded,  and  thus  Perry  learned  by 
letter  before  he  left  Springfield  that  the  old  man 
had  been  taken  to  the  county  gaol  in  Northampton, 
where  William  found  him  in  a  pitiable  condition. 
Deacon  Brown  was  a  broken  man,  and  so  much 
changed  that  Perry  scarcely  knew  him.  The  once 
294 


Captain  Shays. 

strong  form  was  bent  and  shattered,  his  eyes  were 
wild  and  glassy,  and  he  did  not  recognize  the 
young  man  as  he  spoke  to  him.  Perry's  heart 
was  touched,  and  he  at  once  made  arrangements 
for  having  Brown  driven  to  Petersham.  He 
mounted  Molly,  and  they  moved  silently  away. 

It  was  now  past  the  middle  of  December,  and 
the  road  between  Northampton  and  Petersham 
was  very  quiet,  for  Shays  and  Day  had  left  Rut 
land,  and  were  on  their  way  to  Springfield,  far  to 
the  south  of  the  country  through  which  William 
was  taking  the  blacksmith.  But  the  steep,  narrow 
ways  were  heavy,  and  they  made  but  slow  progress. 
More  than  once  Perry  spoke  to  the  old  man,  but 
received  no  answer  but  a  wild  stare,  and  then  with 
a  sad  heart  the  young  man  fell  back  and  rode 
silently  for  hours.  At  last  he  passed  through 
New  Salem  and  Petersham,  on  toward  the  farm. 
Then  for  the  first  time  a  ray  of  light  came  into  the 
blacksmith's  eyes,  and  the  furrows  deepened  be 
tween  his  brows,  and  he  passed  his  hand  over 
his  head,  down  through  his  beard.  He  tried  to 
speak,  but  the  words  would  not  come,  and  shaking 
his  head,  he  relapsed  into  his  former  condition. 
Deacon  Brown  was  doomed,  for  he  had  already 
had  a  slight  paralytic  shock. 

As  they  took  him  into  the  house  he  seemed 
295 


Captain  Shays. 

again  to  be  struggling  with  himself,  and  his  lips 
moved. 

When  they  had  built  the  fire,  William  left  him  in 
the  care  of  the  men  who  had  driven  the  sleigh,  and 
went  down  to  the  tavern.  He  had  no  difficulty  in 
securing  a  young  woman  to  assist  in  taking  care  of 
the  blacksmith  until  Ruth  should  arrive.  After 
everything  had  been  made  comfortable,  Perry  went 
again  to  the  tavern,  dined,  mounted  Molly,  and 
started  off  toward  Barre. 

"If  she's  got  my  letter  and  started  at  once 
she'll  be  here  this  afternoon,"  he  thought,  as  he 
rode  away.  "  We  Ve  made  slow  progress  with  the 
poor  old  chap,  and  she  '11  undoubtedly  hurry.  Mr. 
Minot  or  Ames  will  see  that  she  gets  here  safely." 

As  he  passed  by  the  entrance  of  the  lane  where 
he  had  been  captured  by  Day,  he  stopped  and 
looked  about. 

"  Quite  a  change  since  I  was  here  last.  I  won 
der  what  became  of  those  three  ruffians?  One 
was  all  right,  I  know,  and  I  really  hope  the  others 
were  too.  If  I  had  time  I  'd  run  in  a  minute,  but 
I  might  just  lose  her." 

He  hesitated  a  moment,  then  spoke  to  the  mare, 
and  started  off  again  toward  Barre. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day 
after  receiving  Perry's  letter,  that  Ruth  Brown  lay 

296 


Captain  Shays. 

in  the  back  of  a  sleigh  drawn  by  two  horses,  which 
was  being  driven  rapidly  along  the  road  from 
Princeton  to  Barre.  She  had  met  very  few  trav 
ellers,  and  her  thoughts  were  on  her  father  and 
William  all  the  time.  Mr.  Minot  had  told  her 
that  as  nearly  as  he  could  calculate,  William  should 
reach  Petersham  in  two  days,  and  the  two  men  he 
had  got  to  conduct  her  were  urging  their  tired 
beasts  to  their  utmost.  They  were  about  to  ascend 
the  steep  winding  road  leading  from  the  valley  to 
Barre,  when  Ruth  noticed  a  horseman  coming 
down  the  hill  toward  her.  Her  heart  bounded, 
for  she  had  recognized  William.  In  another  mo 
ment  he  drew  up  beside  her  and  dismounted. 

"  Oh !  I  'm  so  glad  you  've  come  to  meet  me," 
she  said,  as  he  took  her  hand.  "  How 's  father  ? 
I  she  at  the  farm?" 

"Yes,  Ruth,"  answered  William,  with  a  sad 
smile,  "  but  I  '11  not  deceive  you.  He 's  very  ill." 

"I  was  afraid  so,"  said  Ruth,  with  a  sigh.  "  Is 
he  comfortable  ?  Who  's  with  him  now  ?  " 

"  The  two  men  who  drove  us  from  Northampton, 
and  a  young  woman  named  Barnes.  They  got  her 
for  me  at  the  tavern." 

"  Sarah  Barnes  ?     I  'm  glad  she  's  there.     She 's 
Sam's  sister,  and  will  take  good  care  of  father. 
When  did  you  get  there  ? " 
297 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Three  or  four  hours  ago.  I  '11  mount  now  and 
ride  beside  you.  Who  got  you  this  fine  sleigh  ? '? 
he  went  on  with  a  smile. 

"  Mr.  Minot,  and  these  two  men  have  been  so 
kind  to  me.  They  have  been  with  Mr.  Minot  a 
great  many  years,  and  he  let  them  come  with 
me." 

"  I  thank  you  both  very  much,"  said  Perry, 
warmly. 

The  men  nodded  and  smiled  without  answering. 

About  two  hours  later  the  sleigh  drew  up  before 
the  shed  door,  and  Ruth  got  out  and  rushed  into 
the  house.  She  was  met  in  the  kitchen  by  Sarah 
Barnes,  who  motioned  to  her  to  be  quiet. 

"  How  is  he  ?  "  asked  Ruth,  under  her  breath. 

"  Very  bad,  Ruth.  He 's  come  to  a  little,  and 
seems  to  know  where  he  is,  and  thinks  these  men 
are  the  officers  after  him.  He  's  spoken  twice  and 
called  you,  but  you  must  n't  go  in  on  him  too  sud 
den.  Wait  until  he  calls  again,  and  then  answer 
him  as  if  you  had  been  here  all  the  time.  Take 
off  your  things  and  roll  up  your  sleeves.  He  won't 
know  you  like  this." 

Ruth  did  as  she  was  bid,  and,  sitting  by  the  fire 

with  a  fast  beating  heart,   waited.     It  was  some 

time  before  she  heard  any  movement  in  the  little 

room  off  the  kitchen,  but  at  last  there  was  a  muf- 

298 


Captain  Shays. 

fled  sound,  as  of  some  one  breathing  heavily.     She 
crept  close  to  the  door  and  listened. 

"  Ruth,"  said  a  low  voice,  "  Ruth,  them  's  the 
officers.  I  've  been  calling  ye.  Where  are  ye, 
girl?" 

"  Here  I  am,  father,"  said  Ruth,  cheerfully,  run 
ning  into  the  room.  She  stopped  short,  and  her 
head  swam,  and  she  put  her  hand  to  her  eyes. 
She  had  not  realized  what  was  in  store  for  her, 
and  the  shock  was  too  much  for  her  to  bear.  She 
tried  to  regain  her  composure,  but  it  was  no  use, 
she  had  been  through  too  much.  With  a  sob  she 
went  to  her  father's  bedside  and  fell  on  her  knees 
beside  him. 

"  Oh  !  father,  father,"  she  cried.  "  How  cruel 
they  've  been  to  you  !  " 

The  blacksmith's  hand  crept  unsteadily  toward 
the  girl's  hair,  and  his  glassy  eyes  turned  slowly 
toward  her. 

"  Ruth,"  he  said. 

"  Yes,  father,"  said  Ruth,  trying  again  to  smile 
through  her  tears. 

"  Is  the  farm  our'n  ?  " 

"  Yes,  father." 

"  And  have  them  rascals  been  caught  ?  " 

"  I  think  so,  father." 

"  And  you  '11  have  the  farm  if  I  die  ? " 
299 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Yes,  father." 

"  Then  I  don't  care.  I  ain't  no  use  to  ye  any 
more,  Ruth  dear.  I  've  had  a  shock,  and  I  '11 
have  another." 

"  Oh  !  father,  don't  speak  so.  You  've  been  so 
good  to  me,  and  the  other  people  have  been  good 
to  me  since  you've  been  away." 

"  Who,  Ruth  ?  "  said  the  blacksmith,  his  brows 
contracting. 

"Some  one  whom  you  haven't  trusted,  father, 
but  who's  done  everything  for  us  and  got  you 
home  and  got  us  back  the  farm." 

Deacon  Brown  looked  at  his  daughter  with  a 
puzzled  expression.  Then  his  eyes  wandered 
round  the  room,  and  he  said  slowly,  — 

"  I  guess  —  I  guess  I  ain't  been  jest  right,  Ruth. 
Did  some  one  bring  me  home  ?  I  've  been  a  riding 
in  a  sleigh  with  them  officers,  ain't  I,  Ruth  ?  " 

"  No,  father.  You  're  out  of  prison,  and  those 
were  friends  who  were  bringing  you  home." 

"  Oh ! " 

Deacon  Brown's  brows  contracted  again,  and  he 
shook  his  head. 

"  I  dunno,"  he  said  doubtingly.     "  Guess  I  must 

a  missed  something.     Ain't   I   been  here   all  the 

time?     Ain't   this  —  No,  it  ain't  —  it 's  —  it 's  the 

farm.     I  'm  kind  of  weak,  Ruth  dear,  and  I  can't 

300 


Captain  Shays. 

move  much,  but  my  head's  getting  clearer.  I 
see.  Yes,  I  see.  I  Ve  been  in  prison  and  got 
back.  Well,  well,"  and  he  began  to  smile. 

Ruth  saw  that  she  had  brought  her  father's  mind 
back  by  her  presence,  but  she  knew  that  it  could 
not  last  long,  for  his  eyes  were  beginning  to  wan 
der  again,  and  the  wild  look  was  coming  back. 
So  she  spoke  quickly,  — 

"  Shall  I  tell  you  who  has  saved  us,  father  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"Ye  —  yes.     Saved  us,  yes." 

"  Mr.  Perry,  father,  the  lawyer  you  did  n't  trust, 
and  whom  you  would  n't  listen  to.  He  's  here 
now." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  blacksmith,  slowly,  "  saved  us. 
Perry,  five  hundred  dollars  and  interest.  Blow 
the  bellows,  Jimmy.  Ah  ! " 

Ruth  jumped  to  her  feet  and  looked  at  her 
father.  His  eyes  were  rolling  about  in  their  sock 
ets,  his  mouth  was  twitching,  and  his  hands  mov 
ing  convulsively.  She  rushed  to  the  door  and 
called,  — 

"  William  !  Sarah  !  Has  the  doctor  come  ? 
I  'm  afraid  father's  dying." 

"  He  's  coming  into  the  house  now,  Ruth,"  said 
Perry,  going  quickly  into  Brown's  room. 

When  the  doctor  reached  the  room  the  black- 
301 


Captain  Shays. 

smith  was  lying  quietly  with  his  hand  hanging  over 
the  side  of  the  bed. 

"  He 's  had  another  slight  shock,"  said  the  doc 
tor.  "  He  '11  come  out  of  this,  and  may  live  for 
weeks,  but  he  '11  never  speak  again." 

The  day  after  this,  William  Perry  sat  on  Molly, 
outside  the  shed  door.  Ruth  was  by  his  side,  look 
ing  up  at  him  with  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  Good-bye,  dear,"  she  said  with  a  forced  smile. 
"  God  bless  you.  I  '11  stay  with  father  until  he 
dies.  Then  you  '11  come  to  me  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Ruth,  and  I  '11  try  to  make  you  happy, 
though '  I  can  never  be  as  good  to  you  as  your 
father  has  been.  He  has  given  up  life  and  every 
thing  for  love  of  you.  I  only  wish  he  could  have 
known  me  and  liked  me.  But  that  can't  be  now. 
I  shall  be  back  before  long.  Good-bye." 

William  Perry  returned  to  Boston,  leaving  Ruth 
to  take  care  of  her  father.  He  knew  very  well 
that  it  would  not  be  long  before  he  would  return 
to  Petersham. 


302 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

NEW  Year's  Day  had  arrived.  Since  the  alarm 
ing  news  from  Worcester  and  Springfield 
had  reached  Boston,  the  town  had  been  in  a  state 
of  great  excitement,  and  many  citizens  were  fearful 
lest  there  should  be  an  unexpected  attack  upon 
the  town,  and  every  point  of  approach  had  been 
well  guarded.  The  governor  and  Council  had 
decided  to  send  a  strong  force  against  the  insur 
gents,  and  that  General  Lincoln  should  lead  it. 

Notwithstanding  this  condition  of  affairs,  Gov 
ernor  Bowdoin  had  issued  his  invitations  to  the 
customary  New  Year's  reception,  for  there  could 
be  no  better  mode  of  getting  at  the  true  feelings 
of  the  leading  people  of  the  town.  During  the 
end  of  the  last  century  social  gatherings  were 
places  for  discussions,  and  many  important  deci 
sions  were  arrived  at  on  these  occasions,  which 
were  later  carried  to  public  meetings  and  the  halls 
of  legislation. 

303 


Captain  Shays. 

Among  those  who  had  been  honored  with  an 
invitation  was  William  Perry,  who  was  now  visit 
ing  his  old  friends  in  Dorchester.  He  would  have 
preferred  to  refuse,  for  his  mind  was  on  other 
things.  It  was  seventy  miles  away  in  the  simple 
little  farmhouse  in  Petersham,  which  at  that  mo 
ment  would  have  seemed  a  paradise  in  comparison 
with  the  glittering  formalities  and  brilliant  sur 
roundings  of  the  governor's  mansion.  Under  the 
circumstances,  however,  he  had  nothing  to  do  but 
accept,  for  he  could  neither  offend  the  governor 
nor  his  host.  He  therefore  dressed  himself  in  his 
suit  of  purple  velvet  with  lace  ruffles  and  em 
broidered  waistcoat,  threw  a  fur  cape  over  his 
shoulders,  and  putting  his  cocked  hat  upon  his 
head,  followed  Mr.  Minot  into  the  sleigh  and  was 
driven  to  Boston. 

"  You  're  very  silent  to-day,  William,"  said  Mr. 
Minot,  as  they  were  spinning  along  over  the  Neck. 
"  What 's  on  your  mind,  my  boy?  " 

"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  sir,  I  cannot  feel  that  it 
is  right  to  have  this  display  to-day.  I  do  not  feel 
comfortable  in  these  clothes.  I  know  that  it  will 
seem  foolish  to  you,  but  when  I  think  of  all  those 
who  are  suffering,  and  there  are  many  of  them,  it 
makes  me  wonder  whether  we  are  doing  right." 

"  I  think  you  are  a  little  over-sensitive,  William," 
3°4 


Captain  Shays. 

answered  Mr.  Minot,  kindly.  "  This  is  an  unusual 
occasion :  it 's  New  Year's  Day,  and  all  classes  of 
people  have  to  be  considered.  There  would  be 
much  complaint  were  his  excellency  to  neglect  his 
social  duties.  The  ladies  have  certainly  done  their 
share,  and  sacrificed  much  by  giving  up  their 
luxuries  and  expensive  costumes.  This  will  be  a 
little  break  for  many  of  them,  and  I  'm  sure  they 
deserve  it." 

"  Undoubtedly  you  're  right,  sir,  but  you  know 
where  my  thoughts  are,  and  you  '11  not  blame  me. 
When  the  picture  of  that  dear  girl  watching  and 
waiting  by  her  father's  bedside  comes  before  me, 
it  makes  me  silent.  You  '11  forgive  me  ?  " 

"  I  'd  think  very  little  of  you  if  you  felt  other 
wise,  William.  But  try  to  enjoy  yourself  to-day. 
You've  had  nothing  but  work  and  worry  lately, 
and  0  little  relaxation  will  do  you  good." 

As  they  drove  up  Beacon  Hill  toward  the 
governor's  mansion,  they  noticed  the  long  line  of 
sleighs  passing  in  front  of  the  gate.  There  were 
also  many  pedestrians  bound  in  the  same  direction, 
clad  in  rich  fur  capes,  below  which  appeared  their 
velvet  small-clothes,  black  stockings,  and  polished, 
buckled  shoes.  One  of  these  Perry  knew,  for  he 
had  more  than  once  appeared  before  him.  He 
wore  a  bright  red  cape  lined  with  fur,  and  carried 
20  305 


Captain  Shays. 

a  large  muff.  He  reached  the  gate  just  as  Mr. 
Minot  and  William  were  getting  out  of  the  sleigh, 
and  recognizing  one  another  they  all  bowed. 

"  Good-day,  sir,  good-day,"  said  Judge  Dana,  for 
it  was  he.  "  Ah,  you  Ve  brought  my  young  friend 
Perry.  You  've  had  very  little  chance  of  appear 
ing  in  court  lately,  but  matters  are  improving. 
What  a  beautiful  day  this  is ! " 

Perry  made  an  appropriate  answer,  and  together 
they  ascended  the  steps.  The  door  was  opened  by 
a  negro,  while  another  took  their  wraps,  and  they 
then  appeared  before  the  host. 

There  has  long  been  a  mistaken  idea  both  at 
home  and  abroad  that  the  end  of  the  nineteenth 
century  is  beginning  to  teach  New  Englanders  the 
niceties  and  manners  of  good  society.  A  hundred 
years  ago  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  find  more 
social  refinement  and  savoir  vivre  than  among  the 
high  fashion  of  Boston.  Nowhere  was  obedience 
to  every  social  law  more  requisite  than  in  the 
little  Puritanic  capital.  So  far  as  manners  go,  we 
have  gone  down  hill  rather  than  up. 

Governor  Bowdoin  stood  at  the  end  of  the  large 
reception-room,  whose  polished  floor  shone  like  a 
mirror,  and  with  stately  grace  and  great  dignity 
greeted  those  who  passed  before  him,  in  a  manner 
which  would  surprise  many  to-day,  who  have  come 
306 


Captain  Shays. 

to  look  upon  the  Chief  Magistrate  of  the  Common 
wealth  simply  as  a  servant  of  the  people,  and  not 
as  its  social  head.  The  room  was  filled  with  the 
aristocracy  of  Boston,  and  all  the  distinguished 
citizens  were  either  there  or  in  the  dining-room, 
where  the  heavy-laden  table,  rich  with  flowers  and 
glass  and  silver,  groaned  under  its  burden  of  good 
things.  On  one  end  was  the  governor's  punch 
bowl  of  solid  silver,  with  the  glasses  hanging  about 
it.  The  whole  house  was  a  mass  of  plants  and 
flowers,  and  in  every  fireplace  large  oak  logs  were 
crackling.  Perry  looked  about  him  and  recognized 
many  of  the  guests.  There  was  General  Lincoln, 
as  always,  dressed  in  sombre  black,  conversing 
with  John  Hancock  in  rich  blue  velvet,  gold,  and 
lace.  Near  them  in  a  little  group  were  Samuel 
Eliot,  John  Lowell,  Harrison  Gray  Otis,  and 
Thomas  Russell.  Mr.  Minot  was  talking  with  his 
cousin,  George  R.  Minot.  What  lent  a  special 
charm  to  the  scene  was  the  presence  of  so  large  a 
number  of  the  ladies  of  the  period,  decked  in  their 
most  gorgeous  attire  for  this  occasion ;  for  as  Mr. 
Minot  had  suggested  to  Perry  on  their  drive  over 
the  Neck,  the  wives  and  daughters  of  the  Boston 
merchants  had,  out  of  respect  for  the  sufferings 
and  needy  condition  of  the  poorer  women  through 
out  the  Commonwealth,  formed  clubs  whose  mem- 
3°7 


Captain  Shays. 

bers  pledged  themselves  to  wear  nothing  but 
homespun  until  the  time  should  come  when  the 
distress  should  be  lightened,  and  the  strained 
relations  between  the  farmers  and  government  be 
relaxed.  It  is  unfortunate  that  the  kind  motives 
of  these  worthy  Boston  women  were  not  better 
appreciated;  but  as  is  almost  invariably  the  case 
under  like  conditions,  their  sacrifices  were  looked 
upon  either  with  suspicion,  or  with  a  feeling  that 
they  were  doing  no  more  than  they  were  in  honor 
bound  to  do  under  the  circumstances. 

French  visitors  to  Boston  at  the  end  of  the  last 
century  were  almost  unanimous  in  their  praise  of 
the  ladies  of  the  New  England  capital,  and  at  that 
period  there  were  no  better  judges  of  the  manners, 
toilette,  and  bearing  of  the  high-bred  woman  than 
our  friends  and  recent  allies  across  the  water.  And 
they  made  no  mistake.  By  training  and  birth 
there  were  no  more  refined,  cultivated,  and  pure- 
minded  ladies  in  the  drawing-rooms  of  the  highest 
fashion  of  either  continent  than  those  who  were 
gathered  in  Governor  Bowdoin's  house  on  Beacon 
Hill  in  Boston,  on  January  the  first,  1787. 

As  the  reader  has  already  become  aware,  Wil 
liam  Perry  was  a  young  man  of  affairs,  and  had 
been  little  among  the  tlite  of   the  town.     There 
were  naturally  many  whom  he  did  not  know,  but 
308 


Captain  Shays. 

there  were  three  of  those  who  were  surrounded  by 
admiring  groups,  whom  he  had  seen  often,  and 
who  at  this  time  held  a  most  prominent  position 
in  Boston  society. 

The  first  of  these  who  attracted  Perry's  atten 
tion  was  standing  by  a  window,  conversing  earn 
estly  with  an  elderly  gentleman  in  black  velvet. 
Her  powdered  hair  made  her  brilliant  dark  eyes 
seem  unusually  bright.  Her  pompadour  waist 
and  dark  green  skirt  with  puffings  of  satin  and 
point  lace,  set  off  her  graceful  figure,  and  it 
was  some  moments  before  Perry  could  remove 
his  eyes  from  her,  so  much  was  he  impressed 
with  her  noble  expression,  full  of  intellect  and 
courage.  This  was  Mercy  Warren,  the  sister  of 
the  great  patriot  and  statesman  who  had  been 
sacrificed  before  he  had  accomplished  his  full 
work. 

At  last  the  young  man's  eyes  wandered  from 
Mrs.  Warren  to  another  group,  in  the  centre  of 
which  stood  Madam  Haley,  who  had  married  her 
steward,  and  finally  getting  enough  of  him,  re 
turned  to  England.  Madam  Haley  was  one  of 
those  self-constituted  leaders  of  society  who  occa 
sionally  come  to  the  surface,  and  for  some  reason, 
possibly  because  of  certain  merits  which  it  is 
difficult  to  define,  are  successful  in  accomplishing 
3°9 


Captain  Shays. 

their  ends.  They  existed  in  Rome  two  thousand 
years  ago ;  they  exist  in  every  great  centre  to-day ; 
and  they  will  continue  to  appear  somewhere  as 
long  as  the  world  lasts. 

Madam  Haley  was  a  striking  woman,  and  a  very 
eccentric  one,  but  she  held  her  sway,  and  was  un 
doubtedly  a  leader  of  Boston  society.  Perry  was 
still  looking  at  her,  when  a  young  man  approached 
him,  and  greeted  him  pleasantly. 

"  Good-day,  Otis,"  answered  William.  "  You  Ve 
caught  me  staring  at  the  ladies,  which  I  know  is 
not  good  manners ;  but  Madam  Haley  always 
attracts  me,  notwithstanding  she  is  not  handsome, 
and  is  apt  to  show  her  Wilkes  tooth." 

"  I  don't  blame  you,  Perry,"  said  Otis,  with  a 
smile.  "  But  you  should  have  seen  her  last  June. 
She  was  then  in  all  her  glory." 

"  What  was  the  occasion  ?  " 

"  The  opening  of  the  Charlestown  bridge. 
Were  you  not  there?" 

"  No.  I  was  away  on  business,  so  lost  the 
ceremony." 

"  Well,  Madam  Haley  led  the  procession  over 
the  bridge  in  a  phaeton  drawn  by  four  white  horses, 
and  I  really  believe  it  was  the  happiest  day  in  her 
life.  I  think  she  had  some  difficulty  in  getting 
permission,  but  she  carried  her  point,  as  she  always 
310 


Captain  Shays. 

does,  although  it  cost  her  five  hundred  dollars  to 
do  so.  She 's  unmistakably  a  wonderful  woman. 
If  she  'd  only  take  charge  of  the  militia  she'd 
capture  Shays  in  less  than  a  week.  Have  you 
seen  Mrs.  Hancock?  Turn  your  eyes  toward 
her;  she's  of  a  different  type." 

Perry  followed  Otis'  gaze,  and  caught  sight  of 
the  third  of  the  ladies  he  knew. 

"  Who  are  those  three  ladies  talking  with  Mr. 
Sullivan  ?  "  asked  Perry,  a  moment  later. 

"  The  one  in  the  black  velvet  and  diamonds  is 
Mrs.  Edmund  Perkins ;  the  one  next  her  is  Mrs. 
John  Murray,  and  the  other  with  the  gray  silk  and 
lace  cap  you  should  know.  I  have  met  her  often 
in  Philadelphia.  I  '11  present  you  to  her  in  a  few 
moments." 

"  I  thank  you  very  much.     Who  is  she  ?  " 

"  Dr.  Franklin's  only  daughter,  Mrs.  Richard 
Bache.  She  is  visiting  Mrs.  Warren,  who  has 
brought  her  here  to-day.  She  is  one  of  the  hero 
ines  of  the  war,  and  you  should  know  her." 

Sarah  Bache  was  then  in  her  forty-third  year, 
and  was  indeed  a  lovely  woman.  Simple,  unaf 
fected,  she  had  inherited  a  good  share  of  her 
father's  brains  and  patriotism.  Perry  found  her 
conversation  most  charming,  and  when  she  learned 
that  the  young  man  had  seen  the  sufferings  of 
311 


Captain  Shays. 

the  New  England  country-folk,  she  was  much 
interested,  and  asked  many  questions. 

"  They  are  doing  wrong,  very  wrong,"  she  said, 
with  a  compassionate  smile.  "  Yet  they  should 
be  treated  with  great  kindness,  for  it  is  to  the 
farmers  that  we  owe  the  first  stroke  for  our 
liberties." 

"  Unfortunately  it  is  not  the  farmers  we  have 
to  deal  with,  or  rather  it  is  unfortunate  that  we  have 
to  deal  with  their  leaders,"  said  Mrs.  Murray. 

"  I  think  you  are  right,"  said  Mrs.  Bache.  "We 
in  Philadelphia  are  waiting  for  you  good  New 
England  folk  to  lead  us  to  federation." 

"You  are  very  flattering,"  said  Otis,  bowing, 
"  and  I  think,  madam,  that  you  will  not  be  disap 
pointed.  His  excellency  and  General  Lincoln  are 
capable  of  almost  anything." 

So  the  conversation  went  on,  until  at  last  Perry 
bowed  and  left  them. 

"  Have  you  seen  Ames  ? "  he  said  to  Otis  a  little 
later. 

"No;  I  don't  think  he's  here,  at  least  not  in 
this  room.  He  may  be  in  the  dining-room.  I  Ve 
not  been  there  yet." 

"  If  you  '11  excuse  me  I  think  I  '11  look  him  up." 

As  he  went  through  the  room  Perry  saw  many 
of  his  acquaintances,  whom  he  saluted  pleasantly. 
312 


Captain  Shays. 

He  then  crossed  the  hall  to  the  dining-room,  where 
he  had  caught  sight  of  his  friend,  Fisher  Ames. 

"  I  'm  glad  to  see  you,"  said  Ames,  taking  his 
hand,  "  and  I  Ve  got  something  to  tell  you  which 
will  interest  and  please  you.  Come  over  by  that 
orange-tree.  We  '11  be  alone  there." 

Perry  followed,  and  then  Ames  went  on  :  "  Our 
friend  Jeremiah  has  disappeared." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ? "  said  William,  in 
astonishment. 

"Just  what  I  say,  Perry.  Listen.  No,  let's 
have  a  glass  of  that  punch  first.  I  Ve  only  just 
arrived,  and  I  'm  chilled." 

After  drinking,  they  returned  to  the  corner,  and 
Ames  proceeded,  — 

"  It 's  quite  an  entertaining  narrative.  As  you 
perhaps  know,  there  has  been  in  circulation  quite 
an  amount  of  counterfeit  coin,  British,  Spanish, 
and  French,  and  government  has  been  trying 
to  find  the  culprits." 

"  And  they  suspected  Piper  ? "  said  Perry, 
quickly. 

"  Yes,  they  suspected  him,  and  determined  to 
examine  his  premises.  They  did  so,  but  found 
nothing  there.  Not  an  article  remained,  and  the 
bird  had  flown." 

"  How  did  he  get  wind  of  it  ?  " 
313 


Captain  Shays. 

11  That  is  not  known,  but  I  have  my  own  theory. 
No  one  had  any  notice  of  the  proposed  visit  to 
his  house  except  the  officers,  and  it  must  have 
been  from  one  of  them  that  he  learned  it.  Who 
was  it?  You  should  know,  Perry." 

William  thought  a  minute,  and  then  started. 

"  How  dull  I  am  to  be  sure !  the  man  who 
assisted  him  in  foreclosing  the  mortgage." 

"  Exactly,  Perry.  You  've  guessed  right.  There 
was  a  peculiar  thing  found  in  the  room  above  the 
shop." 

"  What  was  that  ?  " 

"  Near  the  fireplace  a  plank  had  been  removed 
from  the  floor,  and  a  gold  coin  lay  on  one  of  the 
timbers." 

"  A  counterfeit  ?  " 

"  No,  that 's  the  strange  thing  about  it.  It  was 
a  good  one." 

The  young  men  laughed. 

u  This  is  really  quite  amusing,"  said  Perry. 
"  So  long  as  we  're  rid  of  him,  I  shall  feel 
more  comfortable.  Where  do  they  think  he 's 
gone  ?  " 

"  The  Lord  only  knows,  and  I  don't  think  any 
one  cares  much." 

"  What 's  become  of  the  energetic  Samuel  ?  " 

"  Gone  with  his  master.     This  is  rather  an  en- 


Captain  Shays. 

tertaining  ending  to  his  career.  But  tell  me, 
how's  Miss  Ruth?  How's  her  father?" 

"  Thank  you,  Ames,  she  's  well.  The  old  man 
is  much  the  same.  He  can't  last  long." 

"  Do  you  know  that  they  've  formed  a  company 
of  light  infantry  here,  and  I  'm  going  with  'em  ? 
I  did  n't  enjoy  the  last  trip,  but  if  Lincoln  goes, 
we  '11  have  a  rapid  and  decisive  campaign." 

"  Who  's  in  the  company  ?  " 

"  Otis  is  captain,  and  Russell  and  Gray  lieu 
tenants.  Why  won't  you  come  too  ?  " 

"  I  can't,  Ames ;  I  must  wait  here.  Besides,  you 
know  that  I  am  neutral  in  this  war." 

"Of  course,  I'd  forgotten.  Well,  I  must  say 
farewell  to  his  excellency,  and  then  be  off." 

The  two  young  men  crossed  the  hall,  but  when 
they  reached  the  reception-room  were  surprised 
to  find  the  governor  the  centre  of  an  interested 
group  of  listeners.  In  his  hand  he  held  a  letter 
which  had  just  been  br'ought  to  him  in  great  haste. 

"  What  is  it,  Otis  ?  "  said  Ames. 

"  His  excellency  has  news  that  Shays,  Day,  and 
Eli  Parsons  are  in  Springfield,  and  have  possession 
of  the  court  house.  There  is  anxiety  lest  they 
get  hold  of  the  arsenal." 

"This  is  serious.  What  steps  does  he  intend 
taking  ?  " 

315 


Captain  Shays. 

"  He  has  called  a  meeting  of  the  Council  for  this 
afternoon,  and  will  recommend  a  mobilization  of 
the  militia  all  over  the  State.  He  ;s  told  Lincoln 
that  he  '11  have  to  take  command.  See  how  fierce 
the  old  fire-eater  looks.  But  he  's  the  right  man. 
He  ought  to  have  been  sent  before." 

"  Who  's  going  to  pay  for  all  this  ?  "  asked 
Ames,  with  a  smile.  "  The  exchequer  is 
empty." 

"The  gentlemen  here  have  already  signified 
their  willingness  to  assist  government." 

"  Very  patriotic,"  said  Ames. 

"  William,"  said  Mr.  Minot,  a  few  minutes  later, 
"  with  your  permission  we  '11  be  going.  I  think 
his  excellency  is  anxious  to  be  rid  of  us,  that  he 
may  attend  the  meeting  of  the  Council." 

Mr.  Minot  and  Perry  discussed  the  situation  on 
their  drive  home,  and  William  spoke  of  Piper's 
disappearance. 

"  A  very  fortunate  thing  that  you  'd  arranged 
everything  about  the  farm.  It  might  have  caused 
a  good  deal  of  annoyance." 

"  Yes,  I  'm  very  grateful  to  Ames  for  his  good 
management  of  that  affair.  I  'm  inclined  to  think, 
Mr.  Minot,  that  I  ought  to  go  up  to  Petersham. 
I  don't  like  to  leave  them  alone." 

"  You  must  do  as  you  think  best,  William,  but 

316 


Captain  Shays. 

you  're  welcome  to  stay  with  me  as  long  as  you 
see  fit." 

"  I  know  I  am,  and  you  are  very  kind,  but  I 
think  I  '11  start  to-morrow  morning." 

Accordingly,  early  on  the  following  day,  Perry 
set  out  once  more  toward  the  farm. 


317 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

IT  was  the  twenty-third  of  January,  and  the 
troops  under  General  Lincoln  had  left  Rox- 
bury,  and  been  four  days  on  their  march  toward 
Springfield,  in  haste  to  reach  there  in  time  to  re 
lieve  General  Shepard,  who  was  in  a  perilous  posi 
tion,  hemmed  in  as  he  was  by  the  different  insur 
gent  bands.  Shays  was  on  the  Boston  road  with  a 
force  of  eleven  hundred ;  Parsons  was  to  the  north 
of  the  town  with  four  hundred  from  Berkshire ; 
and  Luke  Day  was  across  the  river  in  West 
Springfield  with  another  four  hundred,  awaiting 
the  word  from  Shays  to  join  in  the  attack  on  the 
town.  With  Captain  Day  were  two  young  men 
whom  we  know,  Jimmy  Brown  and  Abe  Morse. 
The  poor  boys  had  been  through  many  hardships 
during  the  last  few  weeks,  and  their  ardor  was 
somewhat  dampened,  but  they  could  not  now  get 
away  from  their  service.  In  fact,  to  attempt  it 
would  have  meant  starvation  to  them.  The  march 
from  Worcester  to  Rutland  five  or  six  weeks  be- 


Captain  Shays. 

fore  had  caused  great  distress  among  the  rebel 
troops,  and  some  had  dropped  by  the  roadside  and 
been  frozen  to  death.  Jimmy  Brown  had  had  his 
feet  badly  frost-bitten,  but  he  had  gotten  over  it, 
and  managed  to  keep  up  with  the  broken  ranks. 
This  little  band  with  Day  in  West  Springfield  was 
poorly  housed.  The  weather  was  very  cold,  and 
food  was  scarce,  although  the  farmers  and  their 
wives,  in  their  sympathy  with  the  men,  supplied 
them  with  every  comfort  they  had  at  hand.  Abe 
and  Jimmy  were  resting  side  by  side  on  a  pile  of 
hay  in  an  old  barn,  where  they  were  quite  comfort 
able,  considering  their  surroundings. 

"  I  'm  kind  of  sick  of  this,  Abe,"  said  young 
Brown,  rolling  over  and  facing  his  friend.  "  What 
are  we  getting  out  of  it,  anyway  ?  We  're  almost 
starved,  and  so  fur  ain't  gained  anything.  I  begin 
to  think  the  whole  thing  's  wrong,  and  I  'd  like  to 
go  home  to  the  forge." 

"  And  me  too,  Jimmy.  They  Ve  been  a  promis 
ing  and  a  promising  us  that  we  'd  lick  them  militia 
and  get  our  rights,  but  here  we  are,  wandering 
round  over  the  hills  and  through  the  snow,  without 
a  roof  to  cover  us  most  of  the  time,  and  mighty 
little  to  eat.  I  ain't  got  the  strength  to  walk  home, 
or  I  'd  leave." 

"They  shot  a  fellow  as  tried  to  get  away  the 
319 


Captain  Shays. 

other  day,  Abe.  I  guess  that  lawyer  was  right. 
They're  making  fools  of  us.  What  are  they 
a  waiting  here  for  ?  " 

"  For  Dan  Shays  to  send  word  that  it 's  time  to 
cross  the  river  and  take  the  arsenal,  Jimmy.  But 
they  won't  do  it  no  more  'n  they  've  done  all  the 
other  things  they  Ve  promised.  What  do  ye  say 
if  we  go  out  of  here  and  cross  over  and  try  to  go 
toward  Petersham?  It's  dark,  and  I  guess  we 
can  get  by  'em." 

"  I  '11  do  it,  Abe,"  said  Jimmy,  jumping  to  his 
feet ;  "  we  might  as  well  get  killed  that  way  as  any 
other.  The  river 's  safe,  ain't  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  more  'n  two  feet  thick.  Come,  we  '11  crawl 
out  through  the  barn-yard,  and  nobody  '11  see  us." 

The  two  youths  rose  noiselessly  and  crept 
toward  the  cow-shed,  whence  a  small  door  led 
into  the  yard  behind  the  barn.  They  passed 
through  this  without  detection,  and  before  long 
were  crossing  the  river  rapidly.  When  they 
reached  Springfield  they  were  in  doubt  which  way 
to  go,  but  keeping  down  the  river  bank,  skirted  the 
southern  edge  of  the  town,  and  were  soon  to  the 
east  of  it.  Unfortunately  for  the  young  men  they 
were  not  aware  that  Shays  and  his  army  were 
stationed  on  that  side  of  Springfield.  They  were 
attempting  to  cross  the  Boston  road,  intending  to 
320 


Captain  Shays. 

strike  through  the  woods  toward  Granby,  when  a 
dark  figure  emerged  from  behind  a  tree,  and  pre 
senting  a  musket  said  in  a  low  tone,  — 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  " 

Jimmy  and  Abe  stood  still  and  looked  at  each 
other.  Then  the  latter  took  courage  and  said,  — 

"  We  're  on  our  way  home,  sir." 

"  Who  are  you  ?  " 

"  We  work  in  Granby,  sir." 

"  No  one  is  allowed  to  pass  to-night.  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  take  you  to  the  captain." 

He  gave  a  low  whistle,  and  three  more  armed 
men  appeared  from  the  darkness. 

"Take  these  chaps  to  Cap'n  Shays,"  said  the 
sentinel.  "  I  guess  he  'd  like  to  see  'em." 

Without  more  ado  the  two  youths  were  led  into 
an  adjoining  field,  and  up  to  an  old  barn. 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  "  said  a  man  at  the  door. 

"  A  friend  with  friends,"  answered  one  of  the 
men  who  were  conducting  Abe  and  Jimmy. 

"  For  the  colonel  ?  " 

"  No,  for  the  cap'n." 

"  Then  enter." 

The  door  was  opened,  and  they  found  themselves 

in  the  barn,  one  corner  of  which  was  lighted  by 

two  tallow  candles.     Captain  Shays  and  four  other 

men,  evidently  of  his  staff,  were  seated  round  a 

21  321 


Captain  Shays. 

wooden  box,  on  which  was  spread  a  large  sheet  of 
paper.  On  hearing  the  door  open,  Shays  raised 
his  head  and  glanced  toward  the  new-comers. 

"  Who  's  there  ?  "  he  said  sharply. 

"  A  friend  with  friends,  cap'n." 

"  And  who  are  the  friends  ?  " 

"  Found  'em  on  the  road,  cap'n." 

"  Bring  'em  in." 

Shays  examined  the  young  men  carefully  and 
suspiciously. 

"  Who  are  you  ?  "  he  asked  at  last. 

"We're  on  our  way  home,  sir,"  answered  Abe, 
who  was  the  spokesman. 

"  That  ain't  answering  my  question,"  said  the 
captain,  severely.  "  What 's  your  name  ?  Where 
do  ye  come  from  ?  " 

"My  name's  Morse,  and  his  name's  Brown," 
answered  Abe,  in  despair.  "  We  belong  in  Peters 
ham,  and  would  like  to  go  home." 

"  You  would,  would  ye  ?  "  said  Shays,  with  a 
laugh.  "  Well,  my  friends,  I  guess  you  '11  have  to 
stay  with  us  until  we  've  taken  Springfield.  That  '11 
be  to-morrow,  so  you  won't  have  long  to  wait. 
Take  'em  away  now,  I  'm  busy." 

"We'd  better  of  stayed  where  we  was,"  said 
Jimmy,  mournfully,  as  they  lay  in  the  field  a  little 
later. 

322 


Captain  Shays. 

On  the  following  morning,  Luke  Day  made  a 
tour  of  inspection,  and  found  that  a  number  of  his 
followers  had  deserted  during  the  night.  Those 
who  remained  were  in  a  disheartened,  surly  mood, 
and  he  was  uncertain  what  to  do.  It  was  some 
hours  after  this  that  a  man  rode  hurriedly  up  to 
the  house  where  Day  had  his  headquarters,  and 
handed  him  a  message. 

"  From  Cap'n  Shays,"  said  the  man.  "  He 
wants  an  answer  right  off." 

Day  took  the  paper  and  read  it. 

"  Tell  Cap'n  Shays  with  my  compliments  that  I 
can't  go  to-morrow.  I  '11  be  there  the  day  after." 

When,  on  the  following  morning,  the  twenty- 
fifth  of  January,  Shays  had  received  no  answer 
from  Day  in  West  Springfield,  he  presumed  that 
the  message  had  been  delivered  and  would  be 
obeyed ;  so  he  marshalled  his  forces  and  marched 
in  open  column  toward  "  The  Hill,"  on  the  east 
ern  side  of  the  town,  where  were  situated  the 
arsenal  and  military  stores.  Jimmy  and  Abe  were 
in  the  ranks. 

The  sun  was  getting  low  when  Shays'  troops 
began  climbing  the  hill,  and  he  perceived  General 
Shepard  awaiting  him  with  the  field-pieces  in  a 
commanding  position.  But  Daniel  Shays  had  be 
come  desperate,  and  he  knew  very  well  that  in  the 
323 


Captain  Shays. 

success  of  this  day's  undertaking  lay  his  only 
chance  of  redeeming  himself  and  of  keeping  to 
gether  his  already  wavering  ranks ;  so  he  marched 
ahead  until  within  less  than  three  hundred  yards 
of  the  militia,  where  for  a  second  time  he  received 
a  message  from  Shepard,  warning  him  that  he 
would  be  fired  upon  if  he  proceeded  further. 

"  Tell  'em  that 's  jest  what  we  want  'em  to  do," 
answered  Shays,  undaunted.  He  immediately  gave 
orders  to  advance. 

General  Shepard  had  by  this  time  become  im 
patient,  and  upon  his  command  two  volleys  were 
fired  over  the  insurgents'  heads,  in  hopes  of  stop 
ping  them.  But  they  were  desperate,  and,  headed 
by  a  band  of  veterans  from  the  Continental  army, 
still  kept  on. 

"In  the  name  of  the  governor  and  Council  of 
the  Commonwealth,  I  order  you  to  halt  and  lay 
down  your  arms,"  roared  General  Shepard. 

A  low  murmur  and  a  hoarse  laugh  from  Shays 
was  the  only  answer  as  they  came  within  a  few 
yards  of  the  artillery.  Then  it  was  that  the  militia 
levelled  their  muskets  and  there  was  a  loud  report, 
followed  by  screams  and  cries  of  murder.  The 
shock  had  been  too  great,  and  Captain  Shays' 
army  wavered,  turned,  and  fled  down  the  hill,  and 
on  ten  miles  to  Ludlow. 

324 


Captain  Shays. 

Jimmy  Brown  and  Abe  Morse  were  not  the  last 
to  arrive  at  that  place,  for  a  renewal  of  strength 
had  come  suddenly  to  them,  and  their  legs  moved 
easily  and  quickly,  the  more  so  because  they  had 
heard  Captain  Shays'  voice  calling  after  them,  and 
threatening  them  with  death  if  they  deserted. 

As  the  fugitives  passed  up  the  road  through 
Chicopee  between  the  forest  trees,  the  last  rays  of 
the  setting  sun  were  fading  away  on  the  summit 
of  Mount  Tom  across  the  river.  Here  Shays  was 
reinforced  by  Parsons  with  his  Berkshire  band, 
and  together  they  waited,  intending  to  make  an 
other  attempt  on  the  following  day,  although  many 
hundreds  of  their  followers  had  deserted.  But 
news  came  before  daylight  that  General  Lincoln 
was  nearing  the  town ;  so  abandoning  their  plan 
of  action,  they  marched  in  disorder  to  South  Had- 
ley  and  Amherst,  suffering  much  discomfort. 
Thence  they  went  to  Pelham. 

Jimmy  and  Abe  now  saw  the  wisdom  of  remain 
ing  with  the  main  body  of  the  insurgents,  for  they 
were  headed  in  the  direction  of  Petersham.  The 
young  men  felt  that  the  war  was  over,  and  they 
were  glad  of  it,  for  they  had  become  convinced,  as 
had  many  others,  that  Dan  Shays  was  a  tyrant, 
working  only  for  his  own  selfish  ends. 


325 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

WILLIAM  PERRY  and  Ruth  Brown  sat  in 
the  kitchen  of  the  farmhouse  in  Petersham, 
but  they  were  not  alone,  for  the  good  pastor  of  the 
parish,  Rev.  Solomon  Reed,  had  come  in  to  see 
Ruth  and  comfort  her,  as  had  been  his  daily  cus 
tom  since  Deacon  Brown  died  two  weeks  before. 
Ruth  was  weeping,  and  William  was  sitting  by  the 
open  fire,  gazing  into  it  in  a  distracted  manner. 

"  Keep  a  brave  heart,  Ruth  my  dear,"  said  the 
minister,  looking  at  her  kindly.  "  God  has  taken 
a  good  father  from  you,  but  has  given  you  some 
one  to  fill  his  place." 

"  I  know  it,  I  know  it,  sir,"  answered  Ruth,  ten 
derly.  "  It  was  better  that  father  should  go,  but 
it 's  hard  to  lose  him  and  think  of  all  he  suffered. 
And  Jimmy  —  what  has  become  of  Jimmy  ?  " 

"  I  Ve  just  heard,  Ruth,  that  Shays  is  in  Pel- 
ham.  If  that  is  true,  your  brother  will  be  here 
before  long.  It's  too  bad  that  he  should  have 
gone  on  this  expedition,  but  your  father  always  did 
what  he  thought  right,  so  we  must  n't  blame  him." 
326 


Captain  Shays. 

"I  don't  blame  him,  Mr.  Reed.  I  blame  that 
wicked  Captain  Shays  who  has  caused  all  our 
troubles.  Do  you  think  they'll  catch  him?  I 
hope  Jimmy  will  get  home  before  they  do." 

"  And  in  time  for  the  wedding,  too  ?  "  said  Mr. 
Reed,  with  a  cheerful  smile. 

Perry  caught  the  last  words,  and  turned  quickly. 

"  If  you  wish  it,  Ruth  dear,"  he  said,  "  I  '11  jump 
on  Molly  and  go  to  Pelham  after  Jimmy.  There  '11 
be  no  danger  in  so  doing,  for  they  're  too  much 
occupied  to  care  about  so  unimportant  a  personage 
as  I  am." 

"  Do  you  really  think  it  will  be  safe  ? "  asked 
Ruth,  looking  first  at  William,  then  at  Mr.  Reed. 

"  I  can't  see  very  much  danger  in  it  now," 
answered  the  minister,  after  a  moment's  thought. 
"  As  Mr.  Perry  says,  he  can  easily  escape  their 
notice,  and  they  have  about  as  much  as  they  can 
attend  to." 

"  Very  well,  then,"  answered  Ruth,  brightening 
up  a  little.  "  I  know  what  a  silly,  foolish  boy 
Jimmy  is,  but  he  's  my  brother,  and  we  've  always 
been  very  fond  of  each  other.  If  you  can  get 
there  without  any  risk,  I  shall  be  very  happy." 

It  was  the  third  of  February,  and  for  the  past  few 
days  the  weather  had  been  bright  and  mild ;  but 
the  roads  were  unbroken.  Across  the  lane  where 
327 


Captain  Shays. 

it  turned  toward  the  smithy  lay  a  great  drift, 
through  which  it  had  been  necessary  to  dig  a 
path.  William  Perry  went  past  the  blacksmith's 
shop,  and  then  through  a  narrow  way  by  the 
southern  outskirts  of  the  town.  He  had  inquired 
of  the  minister  how  to  make  a  short  cut  to  Pelham, 
and  had  learned  that  by  keeping  in  a  southwesterly 
direction  he  would  pass  through  a  little  outlying 
parish  of  Hardwick,  thence  to  Pelham.  By  doing 
this  he  would  escape  the  highway,  although  the 
journey  would  be  a  difficult  one. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  he  reached 
Pelham,  and  discovered  that  Shays  and  his  band 
had  started  suddenly  for  Petersham.  He  was  in  a 
way  relieved,  for  he  felt  that  if  Jimmy  was  with 
them  he  would  go  directly  to  the  farm,  and  that 
Ruth  would  know  that  he  had  missed  her  brother 
on  the  road.  It  was  impossible  for  him  to  return 
that  night,  so  he  secured  such  quarters  as  he  could 
get,  and  decided  to  rest  until  the  next  morning. 

He  was  very  tired  after  his  hard  ride,  and  was 
soon  sleeping  heavily.  Undoubtedly  he  would  have 
continued  to  do  so,  had  it  not  been  for  an  unex 
pected  stir  in  the  little  village,  some  time  in  the 
middle  of  the  night,  which  caused  him  to  jump  from 
his  bed  and  rush  to  the  window  overlooking  the 
road.  There  was  the  sound  of  horses  galloping 

3*8 


Captain  Shays. 

over  the  snow,  and  of  men  shouting,  and  William 
was  perplexed,  for  he  had  been  given  to  under 
stand  that  Shays  was  in  Petersham,  and  that  Gen 
eral  Lincoln  was  resting  quietly  in  Hadley,  awaiting 
the  answer  of  the  insurgents  to  his  order  to  lay 
down  their  arms.  He  therefore  dressed  quickly 
and  ran  down-stairs,  and  out  into  the  street. 

As  he  did  so,  a  man  rode  up  to  him  and  said : 

"  How  long  have  they  been  away  from  here  ?  " 

"  How  long  has  who  been  away  from  here  ? " 
repeated  Perry,  in  the  form  of  a  question. 

"  Shays,  of  course.  You  don't  seem  to  know 
much  about  him.  Too  little,  I  guess.  General 
Lincoln  and  the  artillery  are  only  about  two  miles 
behind,  and  there 's  no  use  in  putting  us  off. 
Answer  me,  how  long  is  it  since  Shays  left 
Pelham  ? " 

"  I  really  can't  tell  you,"  answered  Perry,  coolly. 
"  I  only  arrived  here  late  yesterday,  or  perhaps  this, 
afternoon,  and  he  was  gone  then ;  but  further  than 
that  I  know  nothing." 

"  Well,  who  are  you  anyway  ?  "  asked  the  man, 
in  some  surprise. 

Perry  laughed. 

"  I  'm  not  a  follower  of  Daniel  Shays,  you  may 
be  sure.  No,  I  came  here  in  search  of  some  one 
who  is  with  him,  and  I  'm  as  disappointed  as  you 
329 


Captain  Shays. 

can  be  at  not  finding  him.  But  I  can  assure  you 
of  one  thing,  —  he  left  here  before  four  o'clock 
yesterday  afternoon,  and  has  gone  to  Petersham." 

"  Ah  !  "  said  the  man,  and  rode  away. 

A  company  of  about  fifty  horsemen  had  now  col 
lected  in  the  town,  and  as  the  man  who  had  spoken 
to  Perry  rode  up  to  their  leader,  the  latter  at  once 
gave  the  order  to  advance,  and  without  further 
delay  they  started  toward  Petersham  by  the  same 
road  over  which  he  had  come  a  few  hours  before. 
They  left  two  of  their  number  behind  them,  evi 
dently  to  give  the  word  to  the  main  body  of  the 
army,  which  could  not  now  be  far  away. 

"  This  is  my  chance,"  thought  Perry,  as  he  ran 
toward  the  barn.  "  I  '11  put  the  saddle  on  Molly 
and  go  along  with  them.  If  they  should  happen 
to  surprise  the  rebels,  it  might  go  hard  with  Jimmy 
unless  I  was  there  to  look  out  for  him." 

A  little  later  he  rode  out  of  the  barn,  seated  on 
the  mare.  As  he  did  so  he  saw  the  advanced 
guard  of  the  main  body  coming  over  the  hill. 
Then  came  the  artillery,  following  which  was  the 
infantry,  the  sleighs  bringing  up  the  rear. 

"  There  must  be  some  one  here  whom  I  know 
besides  General  Lincoln,"  thought  Perry,  as  he 
rode  out  into  the  dark  road  and  mingled  with  the 
others. 

330 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  '11  speak  to  one  of  these  chaps,  and  find  out 
something.  —  Good  evening,  sir,"  he  said,  going  up 
to  a  man  who  was  evidently  an  officer.  "  Is  Cap 
tain  Otis'  light  infantry  company  here?  " 

The  man  looked  at  him  a  moment,  and  began  to 
laugh.  "  I  should  n't  wonder,  Perry.  Where 
under  the  sun  did  you  come  from  ?  " 

Perry  rode  up  closer  to  the  man  and  looked  at 
him. 

"  I  'm  blest  if  it  is  n't  Tom  Russell  himself,"  said 
William,  in  delight,  putting  out  his  hand.  "  But 
how  does  the  infantry  happen  to  be  mounted  ? " 

"  You  see,  Perry,"  said  Russell  smiling,  "  our 
company  did  n't  all  come,  and  we  made  up  a  little 
band  of  our  own.  Otis  is  here,  and  so  is  Gray,  but 
Ames  had  business  at  Worcester,  and  as  it 's  the 
first  chance  he  's  had  there  for  some  time  we  let 
him  off.  We  've  had  a  great  jaunt  from  Hadley, 
and  hoped  to  catch  that  rascal  here." 

"  I  should  say  that  he  started  for  Petersham 
about  twelve  hours  ago.  If  he  does  n't  know  that 
3'ou're  after  him  he'll  probably  spend  the  night 
there.  I  came  here  yesterday  afternoon  purely  by 
accident." 

"  Are  you  going  on  with  us  ?  "  asked  Russell. 

"  Most  assuredly.     Where 's  the  general  ?  " 

"  The  officers  requested  him  to  get  into  a  sleigh, 


Captain  Shays. 

and  although  he  does  n't  consider  that  the  proper 
place  for  a  commander,  he  finally  consented.  Here 
they  come,  and  we  must  be  moving  along." 

"  It 's  lucky  you  have  such  a  mild  night," 
said  Perry,  looking  up  at  the  sky,  "  but  I  don't 
like  the  looks  of  those  clouds.  I  was  caught  in  a 
snowstorm  south  of  Worcester  about  two  months 
ago,  and  I  know  what  it 's  like.  The  roads  are 
bad  enough  as  it  is,  and  after  you  reach  the  edge 
of  New  Salem  you  '11  have  a  pretty  steady  climb 
to  Petersham." 

"  Well,  we  '11  have  to  stand  it.  The  orders  are 
to  go  until  we  catch  'em,  and  the  longer  we  keep 
at  it,  the  sooner  we  '11  accomplish  it." 

"Tell  me  what  has  happened  lately,"  said  Perry, 
after  they  had  started.  "  I  've  heard  nothing  of 
your  movements  since  you  drove  Shays  out  of 
Springfield." 

"  Have  n't  you  really  ?  Well,  we  've  been 
through  a  good  deal  since  then.  Let  me  see,  that 
was  about  a  week  ago.  When  we  heard  that 
Shays  and  Parsons  had  joined  forces  at  Chicopee, 
we  made  up  our  minds  that  there  might  be  further 
trouble,  so  Lincoln  sent  word  to  the  governor  to 
have  Brooks  move  west  as  quickly  as  possible. 
He  must  be  on  his  way  now  ;  but  we  did  n't  wait 
for  him,  for  instead  of  coming  back  to  Springfield, 
332 


Captain  Shays. 

the  rebels  started  north,  evidently  with  the  inten 
tion  of  escaping  to  some  place  where  they  could 
join  their  forces  and  make  a  united  stand  against 
us.  We  had  made  a  forced  march  from  Boston, 
and  the  weather  was  cold,  and  the  travelling  bad ; 
but  we  had  no  sooner  reached  Springfield  than  we 
were  ordered  to  proceed  toward  Ludlow  after  Shays, 
while  Shepard  went  up  the  river  on  the  ice  after 
Day.  What  he  did,  I  don't  know,  but  we  followed 
Shays  through  South  Hadley  and  Amherst,  and 
we  found  that  the  rascals  had  been  robbing,  burn 
ing,  and  doing  all  the  deviltry  they  could  devise. 
This  made  Lincoln  more  angry  than  ever,  and 
you  can  imagine  what  that  was.  He  swore  that 
he  'd  hang  and  shoot  every  man  if  he  caught  'em, 
and  I  believe  he  'd  have  done  it,  too.  Every 
living  man  in  Amherst  had  gone  off  with  the 
scamps,  and  the  town  was  almost  deserted. 
Whew,  the  wind 's  beginning  to  blow,  is  n't  it  ?  " 

"  It 's  growing  rapidly  colder,"  answered  Perry. 
"  Go  on  with  your  story,  though.  I  'm  very  much 
interested  in  it." 

"  Where  was  I  ?  Oh,  yes.  When  we  left 
Amherst  we  were  not  sure  which  way  to  go,  but 
Lincoln  finally  decided  to  march  to  Hadley,  as  he 
knew  that  the  troops  would  be  likely  to  get  food 
and  shelter  there.  Accordingly  we  went  there  and 
333 


Captain  Shays. 

spent  the  night.  The  next  morning  we  heard  that 
Shepard  had  had  trouble  near  Southampton,  and 
Lincoln  sent  about  a  hundred  of  the  men  in  that 
direction,  and  then  sent  a  letter  to  Shays  in 
Pelham  telling  him  that  if  the  rebels  would  lay 
down  their  arms,  they  would  be  recommended  for 
mercy.  This  was  last  Tuesday.  The  general 
received  a  very  impudent  answer  to  this,  which 
was  evidently  intended  to  mislead  him,  and  on 
Wednesday  Lincoln  wrote  again,  warning  Shays 
that  he  must  immediately  disband,  or  take  the 
consequences.  At  six  o'clock  last  night  we  left 
Hadley,  and  have  marched  on  here  without 
stopping." 

"  What  made  you  start  so  suddenly  ?  " 
"  Because  Lincoln  heard  that  Shays  had  moved 
east  with  his  forces,  and  he  knew  that  the  rascal 
was  up  to  some  kind  of  mischief.     I  do  believe 
it's  beginning  to  snow." 

There  was  no  mistaking  it.  The  sky  was  now 
entirely  obscured,  and  the  wind  was  blowing  fitfully 
from  the  north,  driving  the  small  flakes  into  the 
faces  of  the  travellers.  They  had  now  reached  a 
stretch  through  the  forest,  and  could  hear  the 
wind  rush  through  the  tree-tops  with  a  loud  whis 
tling  sound,  followed  by  a  low  moan  as  it  died 
away,  to  be  succeeded  by  another  and  more  violent 
334 


Captain  Shays. 

gust.  The  trees  creaked  and  snapped,  and  the 
men  wrapped  their  cloaks  more  closely  about  them. 
At  last  they  emerged  from  the  woods  into  an  open 
valley,  and  like  a  scourge  the  tempest  beat  against 
them,  and  they  were  almost  brought  to  a  stand 
still  by  its  weight.  It  was  now  about  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  and  they  had  reached  a  point  on 
the  edge  of  New  Salem  where  the  valley  of  Swift 
River  formed  a  level  plain,  beyond  which  rose  the 
hills  toward  Petersham,  eight  miles  away.  The 
fury  of  the  storm  was  now  terrible,  and  the  snow 
and  sleet  was  falling  fast  and  thick,  piling  and 
blocking  up  the  narrow  ways  so  that  it  was  well- 
nigh  impossible  for  the  men  to  walk,  and  the 
horses  to  keep  their  footing.  Still  on  they  went, 
without  a  word  being  spoken,  and  began  climbing 
the  steep,  winding  road. 

We  who  have  driven  to-day  from  North  Dana 
to  Petersham  in  a  driving  snowstorm  have  had  a 
hard  enough  journey,  although  the  roads  are  as 
the  boulevards  of  a  great  metropolis  in  comparison 
with  those  of  a  hundred  and  ten  years  ago.  Not 
a  house  was  to  be  seen  then  for  a  stretch  of  more 
than  eight  miles  up  the  almost  unbroken  ascent 
through  the  forest  and  over  fords.  This  eight 
miles  took  General  Lincoln's  troops  nearly  seven 
hours,  while  the  preceding  twenty-two  miles  had 
335 


Captain  Shays. 

taken  them  but  six.  And  it  is  a  wonder  that  they 
ever  arrived,  for  at  times  they  sank  in  drifts  that 
nearly  buried  them,  and  many  were  badly  frost 
bitten.  Yet  at  nine  o'clock  Sunday  morning,  Feb 
ruary  fourth,  1787,  the  advanced  guard,  led  by  Col 
onel  Haskell  entered  the  town,  and  less  than  half 
an  hour  later  William  Perry  and  Thomas  Russell 
rode  side  by  side  up  to  the  entrance  of  the  road  into 
the  village.  William  was  a  weary  man,  and  Molly 
was  breathing  heavily.  Yet  they  were  both  un- 
scarred,  and  happy  to  be  so  near  their  journey's 
end. 


336 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

IT  was  about  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 
February  fourth,  that  a  little  party  sat  in  the 
kitchen  of  a  farm-house  near  the  Athol  road  in 
Petersham,  eating  a  quiet  breakfast,  talking  and 
laughing,  and  discussing  the  skill  with  which  they 
had  eluded  their  pursuers,  —  General  Lincoln  and 
the  militia.  The  party  consisted  of  Daniel  Shays, 
Eli  Parsons,  Francis  Stone,  Adam  Wheeler,  and 
about  half  a  dozen  others,  among  whom  were 
Jimmy  Brown  and  Abe  Morse,  the  last  two  unwill 
ing  participants,  as  they  had  told  the  captain  that 
they  wished  to  go  home.  But  Captain  Shays  had 
already  lost  too  many  men,  and  held  those  remain 
ing  to  him  with  an  iron  grasp. 

"  Ain't  we  fooled  'em  nice  ?  "  said  Shays,  with 
a  laugh,  raising  the  pewter  mug  and  drinking. 
"  Who  'd  'a'  thought  that  they  'd  'a'  been  taken  in  so 
easy  ?  But  then,  old  Lincoln  never  was  very  sharp, 
and  I  knew  he  'd  believe  me,"  and  he  laughed 
again. 

22  337 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  guess  my  petition  fixed  'em,"  said  Stone, 
smiling.  "  We  worded  it  pretty  well,  did  n't  we  ?  " 

"  You  did  indeed,  Stone.  The  people  here  seem 
to  be  loyal,  don't  they  ?  There  were  one  or  two 
who  were  kind  of  queer,  but  they  don't  amount  to 
enough  to  make  any  difference.  This  is  a  fine  town 
of  yours,  Morse.  I  guess  we'll  stay  here  over 
the  Sabbath,  it  's  such  a  good  place  to  rest  in." 

"  When  do  you  suppose  the  old  man  '11  hear  of 
our  leaving  Pelham  ?  "  inquired  Wheeler,  between 
mouthfuls. 

"  Not  for  some  time,  Adam,"  answered  Shays, 
with  a  satisfied  smile.  "  Say,  where  're  you  going 
to,  young  man  ?  " 

The  last  remark  was  addressed  to  Jimmy  Brown, 
who  had  risen,  and  was  stealing  toward  the  door. 

"  I  'm  jest  going  to  look  out  at  the  storm,  cap'n," 
answered  the  youth,  stopping. 

"  I  guess  it  ain't  safe  for  ye  to  go  out  alone. 
Jest  wait.  Now  what  was  I  saying?  Oh,  yes, 
old  Lincoln  is  a  fool,  and  no  mistake." 

"  If  it  had  n't  been  for  this  storm,"  said  Wheeler, 
"he  might  have  thought  it  worth  while  to  come 
on  here  in  a  day  or  two,  but  I  kind  of  guess  he  '11 
stay  in  comfortable  quarters  in  Hadley.  Them 
Boston  fellows  are  good  enough  for  marching  in 
fair  weather,  but  they  ain't  particular  about  spoil- 

338 


Captain  Shays. 

ing  their  uniforms  on  such  a  day  as  this.  Ain't 
this  comfortable,  though  ?  " 

For  a  few  moments  after  breakfast  the  men 
tipped  back  in  their  chairs,  and  lighting  their 
pipes  looked  silently  out  at  the  storm,  which  was 
still  raging. 

"Going  to  be  cold,"  said  Shays,  abruptly. 
"  Guess  it  '11  be  well  to  stay  here  a  spell  and  let 
the  men  get  rested  and  fed  up  a  bit.  Then  we  '11 
move  down  into  Middlesex.  They  '11  be  expecting 
us  there." 

"  Do  you  think,  cap'n,"  said  Stone,  "  that  we 
can  get  on  near  Boston  before  they  get  word  of 
our  movements  ?  " 

"  Brooks  has  been  led  into  the  trap  along  with 
the  others,"  answered  Shays,  "  and  the  field  is 
clear.  Once  in  Middlesex  we  can  get  all  the  men 
we  want,  and  then  we  '11  have  'em.  They  '11  have 
to  do  pretty  much  as  we  say.  What 's  that  yell 
ing  outside?  Something's  happening." 

They  all  jumped  to  their  feet  and  rushed  toward 
the  door,  Shays  in  advance  of  the  others.  He 
had  just  opened  it  when  a  man  came  running  in 
out  of  breath. 

"  Quick,  cap'n,"  he  cried,  without  waiting  to  be 
questioned.  "  They  're  on  to  us,  and  we  must  do 
something."  . 

339 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Who  's  on  to  us  ?  "  asked  Shays,  not  realizing 
the  man's  full  meaning. 

"  The  militia.  They  're  coming  up  the  road 
now.  I  saw  'em  myself." 

"  You  're  crazy,  man,"  said  Shays,  doubtingly. 
"  You  Ve  mistaken  somebody  else  for  'em.  Where 
are  they  ?  " 

"  Over  west  by  the  New  Salem  road.  I  ain't 
made  no  mistake,  cap'n.  There  's  more  'n  a  hun 
dred  of  'em  on  horseback,  and  they  're  waiting  for 
the  others,  who  are  coming  up  behind.  There, 
hear  'em  shouting !  There  go  half  our  men  down 
the  road." 

"  Damnation !  "  said  Shays,  as  he  took  his  hat 
and  sword  and  ran  out  onto  the  highway.  "  Stop, 
you  rascals.  Form  your  ranks  there,  ye  sneaking 
cowards.  What  are  ye  running  away  for  ?  " 

It  was  no  use.  The  news  of  the  approaching 
army  had  spread  through  the  village  like  wild-fire, 
and  doors  were  slamming,  and  men  were  passing 
down  the  road,  shouting  and  in  panic.  Some  had 
not  even  waited  to  take  their  arms  and  hats,  but, 
stricken  with  the  contagion,  rushed  madly  in  the 
direction  of  Athol.  Daniel  Shays  went  about 
swearing,  threatening,  and  striking,  but  in  vain. 
On,  on  they  went,  and  as  the  artillery  was  appearing 
through  the  snowdrifts  over  the  brow  of  the  hill, 
340 


Captain  Shays. 

the  last  of  the  stragglers  were  vanishing  through 
the  forest.  With  a  volley  of  oaths,  Shays  mounted 
his  horse,  and  realizing  that  he  was  forsaken  by 
his  troops,  followed  them  in  mad  haste. 

In  the  mean  time  General  Lincoln's  army  was 
entering  the  town,  and  Colonel  Haskell's  advanced 
guard  had  succeeded  in  capturing  many  of  the 
fugitives.  When  at  last  the  main  body  under 
General  Lincoln  arrived,  he  at  once  gave  orders 
to  pursue  and  capture  as  many  as  possible,  but 
not  to  fire  upon  them  unless  it  should  become 
absolutely  necessary. 

Jimmy  and  Abe  had  been,  as  usual,  among  the 
first  to  take  the  alarm,  and  were  swept  with  the 
tide  toward  Athol.  They  had  gone  nearly  two 
miles,  when  they  heard  the  sound  of  approaching 
horses,  and  they  tried  to  hasten  forward.  Soon 
came  an  order  to  halt,  and  the  next  moment  the 
troops  rode  up  and  surrounded  those  of  the  insur 
gents  who  were  in  sight.  A  few  of  the  leaders, 
including  Shays  himself,  made  some  show  of 
resistance,  but  at  last  they  were  captured  and 
disarmed. 

William  Perry  had  joined  the  pursuit,  for  he 

wished  to  protect   Ruth's  brother,  should  he  be 

among  the  fugitives.     When  he  reached  the  valley 

between  the  hills  where   the   captives  were  sur- 

341 


Captain  Shays. 

rounded  by  the  troops,  he  looked  about  him  anx 
iously  in  search  of  Jimmy,  and  as  he  did  so  he 
caught  sight  of  Daniel  Shays,  disarmed,  and  be 
tween  two  lines  of  men  with  drawn  pistols.  The 
insurgent  captain  stood  with  his  arms  folded,  scan 
ning  his  captors  with  an  apparently  indifferent 
expression.  Perry  could  not  restrain  his  desire 
to  speak  to  him,  and  riding  forward  he  said,  with 
a  smile, — 

"  Good-morning,  Captain  Shays.  Perhaps  you 
don't  remember  me?  I  received  your  message 
from  Captain  Day,  but  unfortunately  I  could  n't 
wait  for  you." 

Shays  looked  at  him,  and  an  ugly  expression  came 
into  the  captain's  eyes,  but  he  did  not  answer. 

"So  you  know  the  captain,  do  you?"  said  Rus 
sell,  riding  up  beside  Perry. 

"Indeed  I  do,  and  we've  had  several  appoint 
ments  which  we  've  been  unable  to  keep,  owing  to 
circumstances.  Holloa,  there 's  the  boy  I  'm  look 
ing  for.  I  '11  be  obliged  to  you,  Russell,  if  you  '11 
use  your  influence  to  have  this  boy  let  off.  I  want 
to  take  him  home.  I  Ve  been  looking  for  you, 
Jimmy." 

Young  Brown  looked  gratefully  up  at  the  young 
man,  but  only  smiled. 

"  Where  's  your  friend  ? " 
342 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Over  yonder,"  answered  Jimmy,  pointing  over 
his  shoulder. 

"  I  see.  Well,  I  '11  try  to  take  you  both  up  to 
the  farm.  Ruth  's  expecting  you." 

A  few  moments  later  the  troops  started  back 
toward  Petersham  with  their  prizes,  and  found 
General  Lincoln  awaiting  them. 

"  How  many  have  you  caught  ? "  asked  the  gen 
eral,  examining  the  prisoners  severely. 

"  I  should  say  about  a  hundred  and  fifty,  sir," 
answered  Haskell.  "But  we've  got  Shays,  and 
that's  worth  the  whole  lot." 

"  Good,  good,  Haskell !  "  said  Lincoln.  "  Bring 
him  before  me.  I  want  to  speak  to  him." 

Shays  was  brought  forward,  and  folding  his  arms 
looked  at  the  general  fearlessly. 

"  What  have  you  to  say  for  yourself,  sir  ? " 
roared  General  Lincoln,  eying  the  man  savagely. 

Shays  still  remained  silent. 

"  Speak,  you  rascal,"  shouted  the  general,  his 
round  face  reddening. 

"  I  ain't  got  much  to  say,  General  Lincoln.  I  'm 
your  prisoner  of  war." 

"  You  're  what  ?  "  snapped  the  general.  "  You  're 
a  captured  criminal,  you  impertinent  coxcomb. 
Will  you  mind  what  I  say,  and  swear  allegiance 
to  government  ?  " 

343 


Captain  Shays. 

"  I  suppose  I  '11  have  to,  general.  You  seem  to 
have  got  things  pretty  much  your  own  way." 

"  Silence,  sir,"  said  Lincoln,  severely.  "  Limit 
yourself  to  a  direct  answer.  Take  him  away  and 
put  him  under  careful  guard.  As  to  the  privates, 
who  are  nothing  but  deluded  fools,  they  may  swear 
their  allegiances,  and  go  to  their  homes.  We  '11 
keep  the  leaders  and  attend  to  them  later." 

"Well,  Jimmy,"  said  Perry,  with  some  hesitation, 
as  he  was  riding  toward  the  farm  with  the  two 
young  men  walking  beside  him,  "  you  've  got  out 
of  this  scrape  at  last,  but  I  've  sad  news  for  you, 
my  boy.  No  one  knew  where  to  find  you,  so  we 
could  n't  send  for  you." 

Jimmy  looked  up  quickly,  and  a  startled  expres 
sion  came  over  his  face. 

"  What  is  it,  Mr.  Perry  ?     Is  father  sick  ?  " 

"  Worse  than  that,  my  boy,  he  's  gone.  He  died 
about  two  weeks  ago." 

They  had  reached  the  brook  where  on  several 
previous  occasions  William  had  stopped  to  water 
the  mare.  For  a  moment  the  boy  stared  at  Perry 
in  an  inquiring  manner.  Then  the  whole  truth 
came  to  him,  and  dropping  on  a  stone,  he  put  his 
head  in  his  hands  and  gave  way  to  his  grief. 

"What  did  he  send  me  away  for?"  sobbed 
Jimmy.  "  I  ought  n't  to  have  gone,  Mr.  Perry, 
344 


Captain  Shays. 

but  father  made  me  mind  him,  and  I  did  n't  dare 
to  gainsay  him.  I  was  afeard  he  was  sick  when 
I  left,  and  I  Ve  tried  to  get  back,  but  they  would  n't 
let  us  go." 

"  You  Ve  done  the  best  you  could,  Jimmy,"  said 
William,  kindly.  "Come  along;  Ruth's  waiting 
for  you,  and  she  's  something  to  tell  you  besides 
about  your  father.  I  Ve  promised  not  to  say  any 
thing  about  it  myself." 

As  they  passed  the  smithy,  cold  and  buried  in 
snow,  Jimmy's  eyes  filled  again,  and  he  stopped 
and  looked  at  it. 

"  I  guess  I  ain't  never  been  much  good  to 
father,"  he  said.  "  I  Ve  tried  to  do,  but  I  ain't 
been  able." 

Ruth  had  been  watching  for  William  all  day,  for 
she  was  not  sure  when  he  would  return.  It  was 
Sunday,  and  she  sat  at  the  window  of  her  room 
reading  her  Bible,  from  time  to  time  looking  down 
the  road  and  over  the  mowing  toward  the  hill  be 
yond  the  blacksmith's  shop.  At  last  she  dropped 
the  book,  and  springing  to  her  feet,  put  on  her 
bonnet  and  shawl,  and  ran  out  down  the  road.  A 
little  later  she  was  weeping  on  her  brother's 
shoulder. 


345 


CHAPTER   XXXIV. 

A  FEW  days  after  Jimmy's  return,  a  little  party 
stood  in  the  parlor  of  the  Petersham  farm 
house.  They  were  William  and  Ruth  Perry,  who 
had  just  been  married  ;  Rev.  Solomon  Reed,  Jimmy 
Brown,  Abe  Morse,  and  Sarah  Barnes.  The  room 
was  trimmed  with  evergreen  boughs,  and  running 
pine  from  the  grove.  In  the  centre  was  a  table, 
set  out  with  cakes  and  ale,  and  two  bottles  of 
Madeira,  which  had  been  sent  by  Mr.  Minot. 

Round  Ruth's  fair  neck  hung  a  gold  chain  with 
a  pearl  pendant,  her  gift  from  Fisher  Ames.  In 
her  hair  she  wore  a  marigold  from  a  plant  she  had 
raised  herself  in  the  kitchen  window.  Altogether 
she  looked  sweet  and  happy  in  her  simple  new 
frock. 

Abe  and  Sally  had  attended  to  everything  for 
Ruth,  and  were  now  active  in  pouring  out  the 
wine,  with  which  they  were  to  drink  the  health  of 
the  bride  and  groom  to  the  toast  which  Mr.  Reed 
was  about  to  give  them. 

346 


Captain  Shays. 

"  My  dear  children,"  said  the  minister,  kindly, 
"  I  pledge  you  a  long  and  happy  life.  You  are 
both  young,  vigorous,  and  energetic.  Live  in  the 
future  as  you  have  both  done  in  the  past,  and 
the  good  God  will  cherish  and  bless  you." 

After  they  had  drunk,  Mr.  Reed  went  up  to  Ruth, 
and  taking  both  her  hands,  said  with  a  smile,  — 

"  You  have  chosen  wisely,  Ruth  my  dear,  and  I 
congratulate  you  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart. 
Few  women  are  favored  with  such  a  husband  as 
you  have,  and  you  must  never  forget  it." 

Then  turning  to  William  and  taking  his  hand, 
he  went  on, — 

"  And  you,  William,  have  a  jewel,  a  priceless 
jewel.  I  have  known  her  from  childhood,  and 
such  devotion  as  hers  is  rarely  met  with.  Bear 
this  in  mind." 

"  Mr.  Reed,"  said  William,  "  I  have  long  since 
known  what  you  have  just  told  me,  else  I  might 
not  be  here  to-day.  Six  months  ago  I  was  a  very 
lonely  man,  devoted  to  my  profession,  which  I 
loved,  and  still  love,  but  with  few  friends  outside 
those  who  had  been  my  classmates,  and  those 
with  whom  I  had  been  brought  in  contact  in  the 
course  of  my  business.  I  had  known  very  few 
women,  and  no  girls,  for  my  parents  died  when  I 
was  but  a  boy,  and  I  have  worked  for  myself  since 
347 


Captain  Shays. 

then.  Although  I  was  thus  lonely,  I  was  cheerful 
and  happy  and  independent,  until  six  months  ago, 
when  by  accident  I  passed  through  here  on  my 
way  from  Springfield  to  Boston.  Then  I  lost  my 
independence,  though  for  some  reason  I  did  not 
discover  the  fact  myself  as  soon  as  did  my  friend, 
Fisher  Ames.  They  say  love  is  blind.  I  can 
assure  you,  sir,  that  mine  was  blind  for  many 
weeks,  but  it  took  very  little  to  give  it  sight  and 
understanding." 

"And  you  are  both  very  fortunate.  There  is 
only  one  thing  I  regret,  William." 

"  What  is  that,  sir  ?  " 

"  That  you  're  going  to  take  Ruth  away  from  us. 
We  'd  like  to  have  you  here  amongst  us." 

"  And  I  'm  sorry,  too,  Mr.  Reed,"  answered 
William,  sincerely  ;  "  but  you  will  understand  that 
I  have  to  earn  my  living  by  my  profession,  and 
that  all  my  clients  and  business  associates  are  in 
and  about  Boston.  We  're  going  to  leave  Jimmy 
in  charge  of  the  farm,  though,  and  we'll  come 
here  often,  and  make  long  visits." 

"That's  right.  Of  course  you  couldn't  settle 
down  in  this  out-of-the-way  place.  Our  excite 
ment  of  the  past  few  days  is  unusual.  We  don't 
often  have  anything  like  it.  In  fact,  we  never 
had  before." 

348 


Captain  Shays. 

"And  I  hope  that  nothing  of  the  kind  will 
happen  again,  Mr.  Reed.  I  am  glad  they  Ve  got 
that  hypocrite,  Shays.  I  cannot  imagine  how  so 
many  have  been  willing  to  follow  him." 

"  It 's  incredible,  William,  but  you  understand 
as  well  as  any  one  the  state  of  society  in  Massa 
chusetts  at  the  present  time.  There  has  been, 
and  is,  great  distress  among  the  people,  and  they 
have  naturally  been  obliged  to  look  about  for 
leaders,  both  military  and  civil,  for  they  are  all 
tillers  of  the  soil,  and  know  little  of  such  things. 
Shays,  Day,  and  their  likes  saw  an  opportunity, 
and  they  were  quick  to  grasp  it  for  their 
own  selfish  advancement,  and  the  people,  being 
desperate,  accepted  them.  I  think  the  majority 
is  now  disillusionized  as  regards  the  leaders,  al 
though  they  are  still  bitter  against  government. 
But  both  sides  have  had  a  severe  lesson,  and  will 
now  profit  by  it." 

"  I  hope  so,  and  think  so,  Mr.  Reed.  We 
are  certainly  fortunate  in  the  leaders  of  govern 
ment,  Governor  Bowdoin,  Fisher  Ames,  General 
Lincoln,  and  others  without  number.  I  have  been 
a  neutral  through  all  this  excitement,  Mr.  Reed, 
but  I  'm  as  loyal  to  government  as  any  of  these 
extremists." 

"  I  know  you  are !     I  know  you  are,  William, 
349 


Captain  Shays. 

and  I  honor  you  for  the  position  you  've  taken. 
But  we  're  talking  of  strange  matters  for  your 
wedding  day,  and  you  '11  be  soon  leaving  us." 

"  But  we  '11  be  back  again  soon,"  said  Ruth. 
"  In  a  little  while  Jimmy  '11  begin  to  get  the  farm 
ready  for  spring,  and  we  shall  come  up  in  May, 
after  the  frost  is  out  of  the  ground." 

"  I  'm  glad  of  it,  and  the  oftener  you  come,  the 
better  for  us  all." 

Shortly  after  this  Perry  called  to  young  Brown  : 
"  You  're  master  of  ceremonies,  Jimmy  :  where  's 
our  sleigh  ?     Molly  has  n't  been  in  a  harness  for 
over  a  year,  and  I  don't  know  what  she  '11  think  of 
it,  but  I  don't  want  to  make  my  bride  ride." 

"  But  I  'd  like  it  so  much,  William,"  said  Ruth, 
earnestly.  "  Can't  I  ride  Molly,  and  can't  we  go 
the  same  way  we  went  when  you  took  me  to 
Boston  before?" 

"  Of  course  you  can  if  you  want  to,  Ruth  dear  ; 
but  I  never  imagined  that  you'd  prefer  it.  Put 
Ruth's  saddle  on  Molly,  Master  Jimmy,  and  I  '11 
ride  the  old  horse.  Now  we  '11  get  ready." 

After  Jimmy  had  gone  over  to  the  barn,  Ruth 
went  up-stairs  with  Sarah  Barnes  and  got  ready 
to  start.  She  looked  about  her  little  room,  and 
for  a  moment  her  eyes  filled,  as  she  caught  sight 
of  the  different  objects  that  had  been  so  familiar 
35° 


Captain  Shays. 

to  her  through  all  the  years  of  joy  and  sorrow. 
The  little  Bible  and  book  of  poems  were  still  on 
the  table,  and  she  lifted  them  tenderly,  and  then 
set  them  down  again. 

"  I  'm  going  to  leave  everything  just  as  it  is  in  my 
room,  Sarah,"  she  said.  "  You  '11  look  in  once  in  a 
while,  and  see  that  everything 's  all  right,  won't  you  ? " 

"  Of  course  I  will,  Ruth.  Poor  Jimmy  won't  be 
much  of  a  housekeeper.  I  '11  look  out  for  him, 
and  the  house." 

"  Thank  you  so  much,"  said  Ruth,  drying  her 
eyes.  "  I  ought  n't  to  cry  on  my  wedding  day, 
but  so  many  things  come  back  to  me  as  I  look 
about.  I  hope  you  '11  get  a  good  husband,  Sarah. 
You  deserve  one." 

Sarah  Barnes  blushed  and  turned  away.  Then 
she  came  back  toward  Ruth. 

"  I  —  I  was  going  to  tell  you,  Ruth,"  she  stam 
mered.  "  I  'm  a  going  to  marry  Abe.  He  asked 
me  this  morning  in  the  kitchen  when  we  were 
fixing  things  up." 

Ruth  laughed,  and  kissed  the  girl. 

"  I  suspected  it,"  she  said.  "  I  'm  glad,  for  Abe 's 
a  good,  kind  boy.  Now  I  'm  ready." 

She  went  down-stairs,  where  she  found  the  others 
waiting.  The  minister  held  up  his  hands  in  ad 
miration. 

351 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Well,  well,  Mrs.  Perry,"  he  said  with  a  smile. 
"  William,  take  good  care  of  her,"  he  went  on, 
taking  Perry  one  side.  "  Here  comes  Jimmy  with 
the  horses.  God  bless  you  both." 

"  God  bless  you,  too,  Mr.  Reed,"  said  William, 
warmly ;  "  you  've  been  such  a  dear,  kind  friend  to 
Ruth  and  hers  in  their  troubles  that  I  feel  very 
grateful  to  you,  sir." 

"  I  could  not  have  done  less  than  I  have,"  an 
swered  the  minister,  kindly.  "Had  I  known  of 
things  sooner,  I  'd  have  tried  to  do  more,  but  I 
never  realized  how  poorly  the  deacon  was.  You 
know  that  he  was  a  man  of  few  words,  and  who 
made  few  confidences,  and  I  knew  nothing  of  his 
troubles  or  his  ill-health  until  shortly  before  he 
died.  It  was  too  bad,  too  bad." 

The  little  party  passed  out  through  the  side  door, 
to  where  Jimmy  was  waiting  for  them  with  the 
horses.  William  Perry  and  his  wife  mounted, 
and  with  tender  farewells,  rode  off  over  the  pas 
tures  through  Gerry  and  Templeton,  on  to  Groton, 
Concord,  and  Boston. 

Summer  had  come  and  gone,  and   Petersham 

was  radiant  in  its  brilliant  autumn  foliage.     The 

lights  and  shadows  over  the  hills  and  valleys  within 

sight  of  the  farm  lent  a  charm  and  beauty  to  the 

352 


Captain  Shays. 

landscape  which  no  place  has  in  greater  perfection. 
The  golden-rod  was  waving  in  the  gentle  breeze 
which  blew  down  the  road  from  over  the  pastures 
toward  Monadnock.  It  was  a  lovely  October 
afternoon,  and  William  and  Ruth  had  come  up 
from  Boston  to  stay  a  few  days  with  Jimmy,  who, 
with  Abe  and  his  wife,  was  now  living  on  the  old 
Brown  farm.  It  was  more  than  five  years  since 
Daniel  Shays  had  been  captured  by  General  Lin 
coln  near  Petersham  village,  and  William  and 
Ruth  had  come  to  feel  like  old  married  people, 
especially  so  when  they  looked  down  on  the  two 
fair-haired  children,  the  little  Isaac  and  the  little 
Ruth. 

These  five  years  had  changed  Jimmy  much, 
although  a  hundred  could  not  have  made  him  very 
bright.  Yet  he  had  matured  and  become  of  some 
use,  and  had  succeeded  in  making  the  farm  pay. 
Abe  Morse  had  hired  the  smithy,  and  he  too  had 
become  industrious,  so  that  the  little  household, 
cared  for  as  it  was  by  the  energetic  Sarah,  was 
neat  and  cheerful,  and  a  pride  and  pleasure  to  both 
Ruth  and  William. 

William  and  Jimmy  were  standing  by  the  shed 
door  talking,  and  Perry  was  tossing  pieces  of 
bread  to  two  dogs,  which  were  frolicking  about 
him. 

23  353 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Down,  Castor !  down,  Pollux ! "  he  said,  as  they 
jumped  up  against  him  and  tried  to  take  the  bread 
from  his  hand.  Jimmy  began  to  laugh. 

"Where  did  ye  get  them  outlandish  names, 
William  ?  Carstor  and  Pullux  !  Why  don't  you 
call  'em  something  natural?  How 'd  Moses  and 
Aaron  do  ?  " 

Perry  smiled. 

"  I  call  'em  Castor  and  Pollux,  Jimmy,  because 
they  're  twins,  and  regular  gods  of  victory.  You 
ought  to  see  'em  chasing  a  rabbit.  You  'd  under 
stand  then  why  I  named  them  as  I  have." 

"  Are  they  any  good  for  coon  ?  "  asked  young 
Brown,  with  a  show  of  interest. 

"  I  don't  know,  I  never  tried  'em." 

"  Would  you  like  to  go  out  to-night  ?  There  's 
lots  of  'em  about  now,  and  it 's  fine  sport." 

"  Of  course  I  would,  Jimmy.  What  a  bright 
chap  you  are  to  think  about  it." 

"  I  '11  get  Abe  to  go  too ;  he  knows  all  about  'em, 
and  jest  where  to  find  'em." 

It  was  a  dark  night,  as  William,  Abe,  and 
Jimmy,  followed  by  the  two  dogs,  struck  across 
the  mowing,  by  the  blacksmith  shop,  and  on  to 
the  tannery.  One  carried  a  lantern,  and  the  other 
two  had  their  guns.  When  they  reached  the  brook, 
Abe  stopped  them,  and  said,  — 
354 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Now  I  'm  going  to  take  ye  to  a  place  where  I 
ain't  been  for  more'n  ten  years.  It's  down  the 
brook,  then  into  the  woods.  It  ain't  fur,  but  it 's 
hard  walking,  and  we  '11  have  to  go  down  the  bed 
of  the  brook  a  piece.  It 's  near  the  old  tumbled- 
down  house  they  say  's  haunted.  You  don't  mind, 
do  ye  ? " 

"  Well,  I  can't  say  that  you  're  very  encourag 
ing,"  said  William,  laughing.  "  But  if  Jimmy  is  n't 
afraid,  I  'm  not  How  is  it,  Jimmy  ?  " 

"  I  ain't  afeard,  William.  The  house  ain't 
haunted.  There's  only  a  couple  of  queer-look 
ing  chaps  that  live  there  and  never  see  anybody, 
and  nobody  ever  goes  there.  Sam  Barnes  see  'em 
one  day,  so  I  guess  they  're  flesh  and  blood." 

"  Come  along,  then,"  said  Abe.  "  Steady. 
There 's  lots  of  rolling  stones  in  the  brook.  Hold 
the  lantern  so  's  we  can  all  see,  Jimmy." 

Brown  lighted  the  way,  and  the  others  followed 
with  the  dogs  at  their  heels.  When  they  had  gone 
about  half  a  mile,  Abe  led  them  up  the  steep  bank 
into  the  thick  woods,  where  they  proceeded  along 
the  brook,  but  high  above  it. 

They  had  gone  but  a  few  yards  when  one  of  the 
dogs  began  to  growl,  and  the  other  soon  followed 
suit.  Abe  put  up  his  hand  for  them  to  halt,  and 
whispered,  — 

355 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Be  quiet,  it  must  be  the  coons." 

They  waited  a  minute,  and  then  went  after  the 
dogs,  which  were  nosing  the  ground  and  rushing 
about  excitedly.  William  was  now  in  advance  of 
the  others,  keeping  near  the  dogs,  when  he  sud 
denly  stopped  in  amazement.  He  had  come  on 
the  trunk  of  a  tree  protruding  from  the  ground, 
and  from  it  poured  forth  a  thick  mass  of  smoke. 

"  Jimmy  !  Abe  !  "  he  called  quietly,  "  come 
here.  What  can  this  mean  ?  Listen,  I  'm  sure  I 
hear  voices  below." 

He  put  his  ear  to  the  ground,  and  could  hear 
distinctly  the  muffled  sound  of  voices. 

"  This  is  strange,"  he  whispered  to  the  two 
young  men.  "  See,  the  dogs  are  going  down  over 
the  bank.  Wait  here  a  minute  for  me.  I  'm  going 
to  follow  them." 

He  crept  noiselessly  after  the  dogs,  which  before 
long  stopped. 

"  Down,  Castor  !  Down,  Pollux  !  Quiet,"  said 
William,  in  an  undertone.  "  Stay  where  you 
are." 

The  dogs  obeyed  at  once,  and  William  walked 
to  an  opening  in  the  side  of  the  bank  and  strained 
his  ears.  Two  men  were  conversing  earnestly,  and 
he  could  hear  every  word  they  said,  and  his  heart 
beat  violently  with  suppressed  excitement. 

356 


Captain  Shays. 

"  Samuel,"  said  one  of  the  voices,  "  you  have  n't 
learned  your  business  yet.  Can't  you  make  a 
better  guinea  than  that?  Do  you  think  I  can 
keep  you  if  you  don't  mend  your  ways?" 

"  I  'm  doing  the  best  I  can,"  whined  the  other 
voice. 

"  No,  you  ain't,  Samuel.  I  '11  turn  you  over 
to  the  constable,  if  you  don't  do  better.  Blow  the 
fire.  It 's  cold." 

William  drew  a  long  breath  and  thought,  — 

"  My  heavens,  am  I  losing  my  mind  ?  If  those 
are  n't  Jerry  Piper  and  Samuel,  I  'm  crazy." 

He  crept  silently  up  the  bank  again,  and  without 
a  word  about  what  he  had  heard,  told  the  young 
men  that  he  was  tired,  and  walked  home.  The 
next  morning  he  went  to  Worcester. 

Three  days  after  the  interrupted  coon-hunt,  the 
haunted  house  in  the  woods  near  the  brook  was 
visited  by  the  officers,  and  Jeremiah  Piper  and  his 
faithful  Samuel  were  arrested  to  answer  the  charge 
of  counterfeiting.  In  the  cave  were  found  a  set  of 
tools  and  a  furnace,  and  at  the  trial  it  appeared 
that  Jerry  had  hoped  to  get  the  Brown  farm  for  the 
purposes  of  their  trade. 

So  ends  this  little  story  of  Shays'  Rebellion  and 
its  results.  The  most  important  to  the  country 
were  the  final  federation  of  the  States,  and  the 
357 


Captain  Shays. 

perfecting  of  the  Constitution.  But  the  most  im 
portant  to  William  Perry  were  the  finding  of  his 
dear  wife  Ruth  on  the  Petersham  farm,  and  the 
conviction  of  the  little  villain  who  had  tried  to 
ruin  them. 


THE   END. 


358 


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OF  INDEPENDENCE.   By  GEORGE  BRYDGES  RODNEY. 
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BY   THE    SAME    AUTHOR. 

The  Governor's  Garden. 

A  RELATION  OF  SOME  PASSAGES  IN  THE  LIFE  OF 
HIS  EXCELLENCY,  THOMAS  HUTCHINSON,  SOMETIME 
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it  is  very  pleasant  to  look.  Should  find  many  readers.  — 
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A  charming  historical  novel.  —  Literary  World. 

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Mrs.  Goodwin's  Romances  of  Colonial  Virginia. 
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LIFE  OF  HUMPHREY  HUNTOON,  ESQ.,  SOMETYME 
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by  MAUD  WILDER  GOODWIN,  author  of  "The 
Colonial  Cavalier." 

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history.  —  The  Book  Buyer. 

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ness  and  truth.  —  New  York  Times. 

It  is  as  sweet  and  pure  a  piece  of  fiction  as  we  have 
read  for  many  a  day,  breathing,  as  it  does,  the  same  noble 
air,  the  lofty  tone,  and  the  wholesome  sentiment  of  "  Lorna 
Doone."  —  The  Bookman. 


White  Aprons. 

A  ROMANCE  OF  BACON'S  REBELLION,  VIRGINIA,  1676. 
By  MAUD  WILDER  GOODWIN,  author  of  "The 
Colonial  Cavalier,"  etc. 

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Its  love  notes  are  pure  and  sweet,  and  withal  inspiring. 
Almost  any  scene  picked  out  at  random  is  a  quotable  in 
stance  of  genuine  ability.  —  Boston  Herald. 

Mrs.  Goodwin  invests  her  romance  with  a  crispness 
and  freshness  that  set  it  far  above  the  ordinary  novel  wherein 
facts  and  fiction  are  thrown  together.  —  Chicago  Post. 


The  Colonial  Cavalier  ; 

OR,  SOUTHERN  LIFE  BEFORE  THE  REVOLUTION.  By 
MAUD  WILDER  GOODWIN.  With  twenty-three  illus 
trations  by  HARRY  EDWARDS.  New  edition,  with 
additional  notes. 

i2mo.    Cloth,  extra.     Gilt  top.    $2.00. 

Very  gay  and  charming  are  these  local,  homely,  gossipy 
word  pictures.  —  Literary  World. 

A  charming  book,  and  it  gives  the  reader  many  a 
gracious  glimpse  of  Southern  life  before  the  Revolution.  — 
Boston  Transcript. 

A  most  admirable  picture  of  our  cavalier  ancestors  of 
the  South.  —  Christian  Register. 


Uniform  in  size  with  "  White  Aprons," 
"  The  Head  of  a  Hundred,"  etc. 

A  Madonna  of  'the  Alps. 

Translated  from  the  German  original  of  B.  SCHULZE- 
SMIDT  by  NATHAN  HASKELL  DOLE.  With  photo 
gravure  frontispiece. 

i6mo.    Cloth,  extra.     Gilt  top.    $1.25. 

Nothing  since  our  first  reading  of  "  The  Marble  Faun  " 
has  so  impressed  us  with  its  poetry  of  thought  and  feeling. 
—  Congregationalist  '. 

The  charming  scenery  of  the  Lago  di  Garda  and  of  the 
Italian  Alps  has  seldom  been  so  well  described.  —  The 
Critic. 

A  cameo,  clear  cut,  exquisite  in  its  delicate  workman 
ship.  —  New  York  Mail  and  Express. 

Full  of  tenderness,  pathos,  and  beauty.  —  Chicago 
Herald. 


THE  CHOICE  WORKS  OF  GEORGE  SAND. 

Uniform   in  size  with  "  White  Aprons," 
"  A  Madonna  of  the  Alps,"  etc. 

The  Master  Mosaic  Workers. 

Translated  from  the  French  of  GEORGE  SAND  by 
CHARLOTTE  C.  JOHNSTON.  With  an  etched  por 
trait  of  Titian. 

i6mo.     Cloth,  extra.     Gilt  top.    $1.25. 

"The  Master  Mosaic  Workers"  is  one  of  the  most 
delightful  of  historical  novels,  and  gives  a  vivid  picture  of 
the  life  in  Venice  at  the  time  when  Titian,  Tintoretto,  and 
Giorgione  were  in  their  zenith,  and  when  the  famous  mosaics 
which  still  adorn  St.  Mark's  were  being  made.  —  Literary 
World. 

Fadette. 

Translated  from  the  French  of  GEORGE  SAND  by  JANE 
MINOT  SEDGWICK.  With  frontispiece  drawn  and 
etched  by  E.  Abot. 

i6mo.     Cloth,  extra.     Gilt  top.    $1.25. 
This  exquisite  romance  is  widely  known,  through  its 

popularity  on  the  stage,  as  "  Fanchon  the  Cricket." 

The  Devil's  Pool. 

Translated  from  the  French  by  JANE  MINOT  SEDG 
WICK  and  ELLERY  SEDGWICK.  With  frontispiece 
drawn  and  etched  by  E.  Abot. 

i6mo.    Cloth,  extra.     Gilt  top.    $1.25. 

Francois  tbe  Waif. 

Translated  from  the  French  by  JANE  MINOT  SEDG 
WICK.  With  a  frontispiece  drawn  and  etched  by 
the  eminent  French  artist,  E.  Abot. 

i6mo.     Cloth,  extra.     Gilt  top.    $1.25. 

LITTLE,  BKOWN,  &  COMPANY,  Publishers, 

254  Washington  Street,  Boston. 


LI* 


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